Image Credit: ADOBE STOCK
June 30, 2017 - 5:30 PM
KAMLOOPS – Canada Day in Kamloops will be one of the biggest parties this city has seen.
The hub of activity in the Tournament Capital will be Riverside Park, where events will be running the whole day, starting with the Brock Lions Pancake breakfast at 7 a.m.
For those wanting to start with a morning the Get Canadian Run has been organized by Get Happy. Going from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. there’s actually a few choices, including a 2.5 km family walk and a 10 km run. You can still register online here.
Folkfest and Art in the Park both return to the park and both start at 9 a.m. The art displays will run until 5 p.m. while the international food and culture booths are open to 6 p.m.
Starting at 7 p.m. is the first edition of this year’s Music in the Park series, with bands playing up until 10:15 p.m., right before the 10:30 p.m. start of the Canada 150 fireworks, which (while best viewed from Riverside Park) will be visible from any parts of the city with a view of the intersection of the rivers.
For those travelling around the city, traffic might be difficult and it’s worth considering public transit, especially since B.C. Transit has announced free service all day Saturday. The schedule will be a normal Saturday schedule with additional service for those leaving the city at 11:30 p.m., as things wind down.
If you do choose to drive, RCMP have said they’re starting the summer impairment counter attack campaign. In a press release ICBC states 180 people are injured every year in Canada Day car accidents.
Free transit might be useful, with Canada Day specials or events on at most of the city’s nightlife venues. Red Collar and Noble Pig breweries are both having special cask nights, while the Blue Grotto and Cactus Jack’s are both holding Canadian themed events.
Anyone not interested in the party in downtown Kamloops or fireworks can consider heading up to Sun Peaks, where long time rockers 54-40 will headline at 8 p.m. Along with the free live music there’ll be other family activities throughout the day, like a bouncy castle and pony rides. There’s also going to be axe throwing, comedy and a Canadian birthday cake.
For those less interested in celebrating Canada Day, Crannog Ales in Sorrento is holding an event called Unsettling Canada 150, with legendary Vancouver punk band DOA, First Nations speakers and indigenous activists. Things start at 4:30 p.m. ad tickets are $30.
Smaller towns in the area will also be holding Canada Day celebrations: Logan Lake is having a parade through town starting at 10 a.m. and free barbecue at the community park on Opal Drive, Chase will be having a parade starting at noon with events at the Chase Memorial Park ending with fire works at 10 p.m. and Barrier will have a day full of celebrations at the North Thompson Fall Fair and Rodeo grounds starting at 10 a.m.
For those not able to go out and enjoy the events, there’s still fun ways to participate. Tim Hortons is doing a special edition of Roll up the Rim, for the coffee drinkers. And the country’s public broadcaster has a whole slew of material to broadcast over the day, ranging from Peter Mansbridge’s last day to a live broadcast of Ottawa’s celebrations including a performance by Irish rock bad U2.
If CBC isn’t cutting it for you there’s plenty of other Canada 150 videos online, including the National Film Board's Canada 150 collection or an ongoing series of videos exploring Canada’s culinary heritage.
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News from © iNFOnews, 2017