Mark your calendars! July 1st is fast approaching, which means it’s time to bust out the red and white colours and prepare to celebrate Canada Day! All across the country, cities will be putting together a day or full weekend of celebration fun. The only question left, is what city you’ll pick to join in? Whether it’s your hometown or you want to experience something new, here are our top 10 cities to consider going to celebrate Canada Day.
Obviously you have to celebrate Canada Day in Canada’s capital city at least once in you life. Celebrations here aren’t just a one day event, the entire weekend is dedication to celebrating Canada’s birthday, and there are no shortages or festivities or events to attend. From live performances, hosted programs from the museums and of course lots of fireworks, it is a jam-packed weekend of celebration.
Second in celebration only to Ottawa, Vancouver is another must visit. It is a day packed with music, free festivals, a parade, fireworks, and if you visit Maple Ridge, the day closes with a Canada Day Flyover and singing Happy Birthday to Canada!
Feel like starting off your day with a free pancake breakfast, later followed by free cake? The celebrations in Halifax kick off at 8am with a free pancake breakfast, followed by celebrations on Citadel Hill with the firing of the noon gun, a traditional 21-gun salute, music, and a performance by the 78th Highlander military. Free performances and celebrations continue until the fireworks at night. And if you still have enough party energy, there are plenty of after-parties to attend!
Celebrations in Victoria are all about Canadian heritage and community, so the day is packed with live music and activities such as the creation of the Living Flag, where free red and white t-shirts are handed out for people to join together. There is lots of food to try out throughout the day as well, and of course everyone gathering together at night for the fireworks show.
Celebrations here like to kick it off bright and early with everyone gathering to watch the sun come up–really marking the start of a day of celebrations (and there’s cake too!). Following the early morning start is a day packed with family friendly events from bouncy houses to family concerts and a fireworks show to finish the day.
In Toronto, celebrations take place all across the city at eight different parks. There’s music, performances, and lots of food so you can spend the day exploring what each has to offer. In addition, there are guided hikes and canoeing, if you want a more active event. And of course, the day finishes with a city wide fireworks show.
Moncton kicks of its Canada Day celebrations with its weekend long “Whoa Canada!” event. If you’re looking for a crash course Canada-themed introduction, this is probably the best place to experience it. From food, performances, and activities, each event is all about celebrating the best of Canada all in one packed weekend. It’s New Brunswick’s biggest celebration event, so it’s the perfect way to experience a full Canada Day and explore New Brunswick!
Fort Saskatchewan may be small and not normally a typical place to celebrate Canada Day, but it’s a little city that knows how to really put on a celebration. Its historic downtown comes alive with its kick off pancake breakfast, a Canada Day ceremony, and then performances, street vendors, farmers market, an antique car show, and of course a parade through the city. Then at night, the sky is lit up with its red and white fireworks show!
Downtown Calgary is the perfect place to hop from celebration to celebration, thanks to each event being within walking distance of each other! The diverse Calgarian community comes together as well in events that celebrate Indigenous, Sikh, and Chinese culture. Then at night, the river valley is lit up in its night closing fireworks performance.
If you really want to get to the historical roots of Canada Day, there’s no better place to do it than Charlottetown–the birthplace of the Confederation that saw Canada become Canada! Charlottetown also has its own version of a living flag celebration, a full day of music performances, and plenty of family activities. At noon they hold a 21-gun salute and at 10 p.m. hold a massive, not to be missed fireworks show to end the day.
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