The forecast is calling for a chance of rain, but organizers of the local Canada Day celebrations are hoping the skies will be clear when birthday time hits Wednesday.
A full day of events are planned throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality, and they begin early for the Halifax-Dartmouth Canada Day Committee with a pancake breakfast starting at 8 a.m. at both Grand Parade and Alderney Landing.
Four hours later at noon there is more eating with the Great Canadian Family Picnic on the Halifax Common.
Jeff Wall, the chair of the Halifax-Dartmouth Canada Day committee, said between 10,000 and 12,000 people should attend the picnic.
“For mom and dad, if you’re looking for a place to take the kids, that’s going to be the place to be,” said Wall, adding the event will include magic shows, face painting and a bouncy castle.
The committee is also expecting a large turnout for a concert at Alderney Landing, which begins at 3 p.m. and runs until midnight. Halifax indie rock band, Joel Plaskett Emergency, is the event headliner.
The fireworks over Halifax Harbour are slated for 10 p.m., however considering Wednesday’s weather forecast they might be cancelled.
Late yesterday, Environment Canada was predicting a 60 per cent chance of rain.
In case of the wet stuff, Wall said many of the Canada Day events could be cancelled, with announcements to be made if that happens.
He also said a final decision about the fireworks will be made by 8 or 9 p.m. Wednesday. If the fireworks are rained out, they will be rescheduled for 10 p.m. Friday.
Highlights
Selected events from Halifax-Dartmouth Canada Day event schedule. For a full list of events throughout HRM, visit www.hrmcanadaday.ca
8 to 9 a.m.: Pancake Breakfast at Grand Parade in Halifax and Alderney Landing in Dartmouth.
10:30 a.m.: Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo Parade (visit www.nstattoo.ca for parade route).
11:15 a.m.: Concert featuring the Stadacona Band and Tattoo Choir, Halifax Citadel
Noon: Official Canada Day Celebrations, Citadel Hill; Great Canadian Family Picnic, Halifax Common
2 to 4 p.m.: Concerts at Public Gardens in Halifax and Sullivan’s Pond in Dartmouth
3 p.m. to midnight: Nova Scotia Music at Alderney Landing. Lineup includes Joel Plaskett Emergency, Asia and NuGruv, Under The Sun and Blueberry Grunt.
10 p.m.: Fireworks over harbour
