Canada Day. It’s a day of celebration, commemorating the date when, back in 1867, four British colonies joined together to form a new nation.
The 156 years since that date have seen Canada grow and mature and Canada Day gives us all a chance to reflect upon and proudly celebrate our history, culture, and achievements.
And there’s a lot to be proud of.
We have one of the highest ranked educational systems in the world, our healthcare system is consistently the envy of other nations, and our cultural diversity continues to inspire the world.
And that doesn’t begin to mention the breathtaking beauty of the country. From the rugged shores of Newfoundland to the mountains and shores of B.C., Canada is, well, just amazing.
On July 1, folks in Greater Victoria will head to the legislative grounds to take in a host of activities and entertainment to help celebrate the holiday.
The main stage on the legislature lawn will feature an eclectic mix of local acts and top national performers, including The Blue Hearts, Spendo (a rock and roll band from Vancouver), Alpha Centauri, indie-folk musician Elise Boulanger, Cheko & the Lion Rockers, prog-rock band Brass Camel, Phonosonics and pop-latin-folk artist Christian de la Luna.
The stage will also feature an impressive lineup of award-winning Indigenous and multicultural performances.
The main stage headliner will be one of Canada’s favourites, Jill Barber. Barber is a three-time Juno Award nominated singer-songwriter with an unforgettable voice who, while associated with the folk-pop genre, has performed vocal jazz and pop music.
Beyond the stage there will be a host of family friendly activities operating from noon to 6:00 pm, including a bouncy castle, bouncy obstacle course, face painting, glitter tattoos and giant games.
Between 1:30 p.m. - 2 p.m., Tickles and Yowza the clowns will perform and then hang about to entertain families until 4 p.m.
The Victoria Bug Zoo, Pacific Football Club, Telus, Island Savings, Country Grocer, and EF International Language Campus will be on site to offer even more kid-friendly activities and Dr. Oetker will be sampling their pizza.
Speaking of pizza, what holiday celebration would be complete without food?
To that end, multicultural food options will be located along Belleville Street with the best of Victoria’s food truck scene – with options that reflect a part of the diverse cultural bounty of the country.
Naturally, being Canadian, the celebration organizers have ensured that this will be a zero-waste celebration. Food and beverages will be served in biodegradable and recyclable containers and there will be zero waste stations throughout the site. A volunteer “Green Team”, led by the Downtown Victoria Business Association, will be on hand to support the recycling efforts.
Naturally, as the day draws to a close, there will be fireworks. This year’s display, sponsored by Reliance Properties Inc., promises to be a spectacular end to a perfect day.
Canada Day celebrations are sponsored by EF International Language Campuses.
For the complete schedule of events please visit: canadadayvictoria.ca.
