With July 1 approaching this weekend, some community members will be looking for ways to celebrate Canada Day. Here are some of the celebrations taking place locally:
Canada Day at KWAG
Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery
July 1, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
The Kitchener-Waterloo Art Gallery will hold a free event focusing on the late Mi’kmaw artist Mike MacDonald’s project, Planting One Another. The gallery will offer opportunities to create art inspired by MacDonald’s project, which will “[create] spaces for contemplation and love of butterflies, bees, and their connection to medicine plants.”
July 1 Community Picnic
Waterloo Park (west side)
July 1, 4:00 to 10:30 p.m.
The City of Waterloo will be running free Canada Day programs at Waterloo Park, which will feature local artists, food trucks, a drone show, and games. The event will include an art market (from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m.) with over 20 vendors available to purchase from, and a community organization fair (from 4:00 to 9:00 p.m.) where the public can learn more about various Waterloo organizations. The main stage will feature local talent, and the performance schedule can be found here.
Canada Day in downtown Kitchener
Carl Zehr Square, Kitchener
July 1, 6:00 to 11:00 p.m.
The City of Kitchener will be offering a free concert for Canada Day at Carl Zehr Square, in, front of City Hall, with live performances from Steven Lee Olsen, Robyn Ottolini, Owen Riegling, and Amanda Kind. There will be family-friendly activities and fireworks to end the night, as well as additional live performances on Gaukel St from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
The Region’s Largest Canada Day Event
Bingemans Recreation Center
July 1
Bingemans is also hosting a free Canada Day event, which will feature live championship competitions from STIHL Timbersports as well as a performance from the Looney Tunes Canadian cover band. The event will include food and drinks, fireworks, and additional live entertainment. The on-site waterpark will also be open late for the event.
Cambridge Canada Day
July 1
Riverside Park, Cambridge
The City of Cambridge is marking Canada Day by hosting a full day of events and activities, including food trucks, live on-stage performances, vendors, and a kids’ area. The day will also feature a parade which is set to begin at 11:00 a.m., and fireworks at dusk. A full list of the activities and performances scheduled can be found here.
It is important to note that this date also contains ties to the colonization and violence Canada has enacted against Indigenous peoples, and will therefore sit differently for some people. Some may not want to celebrate July 1, or will want to mark this day in their own way. For more information about local Indigenous communities and organizations, visit this page from the Office of Indigenous Relations at UW.
