Canada Day shaping up as best ever

NEWS/ CITY — It’s going to be quite a party on Tuesday.

Kamloopsians will celebrate Canada Day from morning to darkness in Riverside Park, with entertainment, speeches, art exhibits and, at the end, lots of bright lights and noise.

“It should be a full lineup for the day,” said Kamloops Multicultural Society president Ray Dhaliwal. He said Rotarians are pitching in with the multicultural group and the Kamloops Arts Council, “making it more and more a community event.”

Kamloops is acknowledged as having one of the biggest and best Canada Day celebrations in the country, thanks in large part to Folkfest and Art in the Park, he said.

The fact July 1 doesn’t create a long weekend this year should result in even bigger attendance numbers he said, with “upwards of 30,000 people” expected to visit the grounds during the day.

“It’s a day that celebrates national and civic pride,” said Cathy Sinclair of the Kamloops Arts Council, which organizes Art in the Park. She said the 10:30 p.m. fireworks display that wraps everything up will have the added feature of live music by the Chamber Musicians of Kamloops and the Brandenburg Orchestra performing Handel’s Music for the Royal Fireworks. They’ll begin playing at 9 p.m. leading up to the fireworks.

Sinclair said Art in the Park provides an opportunity to take art “out to the people” and “the public makes the discovery that arts don’t live in an ivory tower but are accessible to everyone.”

The day kicks off with the traditional pancake breakfast. Opening ceremonies start at 11 a.m. sharp at the rotary Bandshell with the arrival of the official party escorted by the RCMP, Kamloops Pipe Band and the Royal Canadian Legion Anavets flag colour party.

After Jeevyn Dhaliwal leads the singing of O Canada, participants will take re-affirmation of citizenship. That will be followed by speeches from dignitaries and greetings from Kamloops Multicultural Society members, then the official cutting of the birthday cake.

Always a favourite, the International food Fair will be in the park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. serving up flavours from Japan, China, Vietnam, Mexico, Italy, Greece, Phillipines, First nations, Hindu, India, Caribbean, and Thailand.

Among the cultural and community performances, starting just after noon, will be Scottish dancers, Japanese drummers, the Rube Band and an African tribal dance. On the performing arts stage will be belly dancers, Ukrainian dancers, Doc and the Disorderlies, Kamloops Outlaw All-stars cheerleaders, Spoiled Citizens and others.

Provincial Heritage Fair students will showcase their projects at Riverside Park from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A beer garden will be on the grounds, buses will be free and there will be free secure bicycle parking. The Kamloops and area chapter of the MS Society is offering the first-ever “pedal parking, sponsored by Scotia Bank” at Canada Day at the set side of the park in the tennis courts between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. Bring your own lock, and members of the MS Society will supervise your bicycle for the day.

A delegation from Uji, Japan, Kamloops’ Sister City will arrive Monday and take part in the Canada Day festivities.

Here’s the schedule to the day as provided by the City of Kamloops:

7 am – 10:30 am
Brock Lions Club Pancake Breakfast
by Tennis Courts

9 am – 5 pm
The Kamloops Arts Council’s Art in the Park & Performing Stage
Riverside Park East End

10 am – 6 pm

British Columbia Provincial Heritage Fair
Riverside Park West End – (Near the Rotary Bandshell)

10:30 am – 6 pm
Kamloops Multicultural Society Folkfest
International Food Booths and Cultural Displays
West End of Park

11 am – 12:15 pm
Canada Day Open Ceremonies
Cheryl Blackwell (Radio B100) MC

Dignitaries and Escorts: (RCMP Pipe Band )
O Canada, Jeevyn Dhaliwal
Re-affirmation of Citizenship
Dignitaries Introduction and Speeches
Kamloops Multicultural Members O Canada Greetings
Birthday Cake Cutting MP Cathy Mcleod and Mayor Peter Milobar
Closing Remarks Ray Dhaliwal, president Kamloops Multicultural Society
Closing Remarks Cheryl Blackwell
God Save the Queen, Jeevyn Dhaliwal

12:15 pm – 5:30 pm
Cultural & Community Performances
Larry Read (TRU) Master of Ceremonies
Rotary Bandshell
» See Program Guide for Entertainment Listings

BCLC Presents
Rotary Bandshell
5:30 pm – Spencer and the Dirty Matadors
8:00 pm – Shane Phillip
9:15 pm – Earthbound

6:30-7:30 pm
BC Living Arts presents – Kamloops’ Got Talent
Rotary Band Shell

9:00 pm – 10:45 pm
Chamber Musicians of Kamloops presents
The Brandenburg Orchestra
Music for the Royal Firework Concert
East Side of the Park

10:30 pm
Fireworks
Sponsored by Heritage Canada