Canada’s 151st birthday will be celebrated in bright red and white this Sunday, July 1, in Maple Ridge’s big park in the downtown.
The events kick off at noon with a decorated bicycle parade in Memorial Peace Park, followed by the Canada Day parade at 12:15 p.m. The official ceremonies take place between 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m., which includes award presentations, poetry readings and recognition of those who’ve recently become Canadian citizens, along with the traditional cutting of the Canada Day cake.
Entertainment follows at 1:30 p.m., with Pacifica on the main stage and Jennifer Hershman in the Canada Day lounge in the Arts Centre Theatre building, while Interactive World Drumming will pound out the message in the ACT Studio Theatre.
From between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., the younger set can enjoy a pony ride, while more entertainment continues on several stages from 2:30 p.m. until 6 p.m. That includes a Multicultural Dance and Fashion Show on the dance stage while Kim Lorene is on in the Canada Day Lounge in the ACT and Interactive World Drumming resumes at 2:30 p.m. in the ACT studio theatre.
At 3 p.m., MainStreet Muze Roots, Blues and Rock Fusion take to the main stage in the park, while at 3:30 p.m., Barry Wilson is in the Canada Day lounge in the ACT.
At 4 p.m., the Ridge Meadows Got Talent winners are on the dance stage, while the Spirit of Polynesian Dance follows up at 4:30 p.m.
The R&B Allstars will get people into the groove on the main stage from between 4:45 p.m. and 6 p.m. as the day winds down and is capped off by a fly over and the crowd singing O Canada.
Throughout the day, Canada Day partyers can enjoy the Haney Farmers Market, a multicultural picnic, the bicycle tent, firefighters barbecue, Kids Zone, Art in the Park and the Maple Ridge Fire Department’s Water Spray and Play. There’s also a summer street festival on 224th Street.
For those who want a more active way to celebrate the day, the City of Maple Ridge is holding Race to Canada Day. That’s a month-long event for kids and families involving the visiting of six local parks. Those locations are identified in passports available online at mapleridge.ca/parksandrec.
Once the passports are filled out, people can bring them to the Canada Day event and become eligible to win a three-month leisure centre pass, or one of two gift cards.
