Fête du Canada, the national day of Canada, a statutory holiday, a day during which Canadians from sea to sea to shining sea together celebrate the anniversary of the July 1st, 1867 birth of our country, and the enactment of the British North America Act (since 1982, renamed the Constitution Act, 1867), when three colonies were united into a single country called Canada. Today is a day for basking in Canada Day festivities.
Canada’s 147th birthday is gonna be a scorcher — wear lots of sunscreen!
Canada Day at Granville Island
From 8am til midnight, the Canada Day celebration at Granville Island will feature a parade, a Canadian pancake breakfast in the morning, and a great Canadian BBQ (courtesy of Dockside Restaurant). There’ll also be an official Canada Day ceremony with cake, live jazz, performers, and MELA!, a South Asian cultural fair. Granville Island is a family-friendly venue for families with young children: bring a picnic blanket and watch your kids run free at the Granville Island Water Park (referenced in VanRamblings’ video above).
Canada Day at Canada Place — Waterfront Party & Parade
Canada Place hosts downtown Vancouver’s biggest Canada Day celebration, with a free Waterfront Party, live music and entertainment on three stages, followed by the annual Canada Day Parade. Highlights of the 2014 Waterfront Party include 25 musical acts, a west coast Lumberjack Show, a Go Canada! Sports Zone, where you can test your skills with soccer drills, watch a game of wheelchair basketball, or join the jump rope competition, and an artisan market. There’s even an iOS, and an Android mobile app.
The Canada Day Waterfront Party runs from 10am thru til 6pm. The Canada Day Parade starts at 7pm, at the corner of Georgia & Broughton.
Canada Place also co-produces the Burrard Inlet Fireworks, Vancouver’s only two-barge simultaneous pyrotechnic extravaganza — viewable from Harbour Green Park, Coal Harbour, Stanley Park (from the Vancouver Rowing Club to the 9 o’clock gun), along the West Vancouver seawall from Ambleside to Dundarave, and from the lower Lonsdale area, over by Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver — the fireworks lighting up the night sky for all to ooh and ahh over, in celebration of our nation’s birthday.
In addition to the spectacular events above, on Canada Day there’s …
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A 1:05pm Vancouver Canadians game at Nat Bailey Stadium;
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The Kitsilano Showboat: 3:15pm, Whistles the Clown; 4pm, Max Tell; 5pm, ErRatica Cake; and to close the Canada Day celebration, at 7pm Kits Showboat presents Oh Canada, featuring the Sanctuary All Stars;
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The Jazz Festival, from noon on thru 10:30pm presenting acts all over town, from Granville Island’s Performance Works, Public Market stage, Railspur Disrict Stage, and the Ron “Mr. Granville Island” Basford Park Stage; as well as at the Ouisi Bistro (at Granville near 14th), and Pat’s Pub & BrewHouse at the Patricia Hotel, on East Hastings at Dunlevy.
Enjoy this Canada Day! We’ll be seeing you everywhere around town.
