Happy 142nd birthday, Canada!
Vancouverites get to celebrate Canada Day in a whole new way this year as the city’s newest annual parade hits downtown streets tomorrow.
Organizer Brett Calder said he expects a good turnout for the parade, which will feature marching bands, stilt walkers, dancers and mascots, as well as a wide assortment of performers celebrating the country’s diversity and multiculturalism.
“The Canada Day Festival usually brings about 120,000 guests,” said Calder.
“(The parade) will give a twist on a traditional event.”
This free event starts at 7 p.m. on the corner of Georgia and Broughton streets.
Along with the parade, many events will celebrate the birth of the nation all over the Lower Mainland.
• Canada Place hosts its 22nd annual outdoor street festival. It features three stages with performers and entertainment. The day-long festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• The Burrard Inlet Fireworks Society will have its annual Canada Day high-altitude fireworks show. The 20-minute display begins at 10:30 p.m. and can be viewed from downtown, North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Vancouver’s West Side. For more info, visit canadadayfireworks.ca.
• The Yaletown Grand Prix, Vancouver’s premier urban cycling event, pits elite bike racers against each other in a multi-lap race in a closed downtown course. The race starts at 1 p.m. on Mainland Street in Yaletown.
For more info, visit yaletowngrandprix.com.
• Surrey Canada Day, the largest event of its kind in Western Canada, takes place at the Cloverdale Millennium Amphitheatre. The day-long celebration starts at 10 a.m. and ends with a fireworks display. For more info, visit canadaday.surrey.ca.
• The fourth annual Canada Day International Pavilion will be set up at Granville Island. The South Asian-themed event features an international food fair, reptile exhibit, and international and local musicians. It takes place from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more info, visit melafestivals.ca.
• The Vancouver Open Water Swim Association presents the Canada Day Challenge, a race at Sasamat Lake. The challenge includes one-, two- and four-kilometre challenges. For more info, visit vowsa.bc.ca.
• North Vancouver Canada Day celebrations take place at Waterfront Park. The theme of this year is sustainability, and the event’s displays and attractions include an eco-friendly car wash, bicycle valet service and a solar-powered taxi. For more information, visit northvancanadaday.com.
