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What’s the absolute best thing about Canada Day? Besides the obvious extra day off / long weekend?

Well?

It’s free, of course!

What a great way to have a fun filled family day out for Zero cents. My family and I start our Canada Day celebrations by packing up a small cooler of snacks and drinks, loading easy to carry garden chairs into the Van and planning our itinerary for the day.

I live in Courtenay, BC and here is our program of entertainment for the Canada Day weekend..

Canada Day Schedule

June 30th – Night Before Celebration at Lewis Park Main stage

INDIGENOUS WOMEN SHARING SOCIETY SHOWCASE

4 – 5 PM, A mix of Indigenous performers including Metis Jigger Dancers, Drum Group, Johnny Mitchell Pow Wow Dancer, Jaiden Mills and Daryl Mills Drumming and Singing (order may change)

CUBANO BAND – BRISAS DEL PALMAR 5 – 6 PM

A Latin group from Santiago de Cuba known for rich harmonies

REBEL HEART 6 – 7 PM

A classic rock band playing original songs about life, love and fun

CASSIES FAMILY 7 – 8 pm:

Winner of the 2017 Battle of the Bands, this family will have you singing along

TIME WELL WASTED 8 -10 pm

A 12 piece classic rock, funk, R&B band with a strong horn section playing great danceable tunes

July 1st – Canada Day

33rd ANNUAL KIN CLUB PANCAKE BREAKFAST

7:30 am to 11 am, Corner of 5th and England Avenue

COMOX VALLEY CONCERT BAND

9 to 10 am, 5th Street and Cliffe Avenue in Civic Square (in front of Sid Williams Theatre)

KIDS BIKE DECORATING CONTEST

8:30 to 10 am, participants meet at Harmston Park between 8:30 to 9:00 am

HORSESHOE CLUB TOURNAMENT

9 am to 3:00 pm (approx), Lewis Park

5th STREET MILE

9:30 am, starts at 6th Street beside Harmston Park and precedes the parade. Arrive early to register

“IMAGINE” PARADE

10 am start with honorary parade marshal Olympian Carle Brenneman. Features a new route this year down 5th Street from Fitzgerald Avenue to the Lewis Centre. Watch for a fly-by at the beginning of the parade by 19 Wing Comox

KIDS PLAY ZONE

11 am to 3:30 pm, Simms Park

• Military Glider and Bomb Disposal Unit
• Inflatables and Fun with Courtenay Recreation
• 4H Petting Zoo under the big top tent
• Dunk Booth (fundraiser for Comox Valley Child Development Association) – 11 am – 2 pm Dunking schedule:11:00 – 11:20 am: Joanne Wiens, Executive Director, Volunteer Comox Valley11:20 – 11:40 am: David Frisch, Courtenay City Councillor11:40 am – 12:00 pm: Bob Wells, Courtenay City Councillor

  12:00 – 12:20 pm: Constable Monica Terragni, Comox Valley RCMP

  12:20 – 12:40 pm: Will Cole Hamilton, Downtown Business Representative

  12:40 – 1:00 pm: Deana Simkin, Vice-President, Comox Valley Economic Development

  1:20 – 1:40 pm: Doug Hillian, Courtenay City Councillor

  1:40 – 2:00 pm: Edwin Grieve, Comox Valley Regional District Director, Area C

ADULT BEVERAGE GARDEN

11 am to 4 pm, Lewis Park

COURTENAY & DISTRICT MUSEUM OPEN HOUSE

12:00 to 4:00 pm, includes live music, children’s crafts, door prizes, balloons and more!

COURTENAY OUTDOOR POOL FREE SWIM

1:30 to 4:30 pm, Lewis Park

LEWIS PARK STAGE

 

• 12:00 Noon – Opening Ceremonies (includes a fly-by by 19 Wing Comox)
• 12:30 pm – Cake Cutting
• 12:30 – 1:30 pm – Luzna: Latin dance rhythms including boleros, cha cha and jazz
• 1:40 – 3 pm – Desmond Day Larson and Band:Des returns to his hometown to headline Canada Days with his unique mix of soulful jazz, reggae and 90’s pop music. His sound is a balance of acoustic and electronica
• 3 to 4 pm – Kid’s Bike Draw

SIMMS PARK STAGE

1 pm – Under 19 Battle of the Bands. Performers include Detour, The Farley and Izzy Duo and The Rykes Davies Band

NATIVE SONS HALL

2 to 4 pm, Tea Dance hosted by the Evergreen Club with special guests Georgia Strait Big Band playing mega-hits from the Big Band Era, swing and Latin tunes

SID WILLIAMS THEATRE

9 to 10 am – Comox Valley Concert Band

5th Street and Cliffe Avenue in Civic Square (in front of Sid Williams Theatre)

Enjoy popular music, marches, orchestra, and band originals.

7 pm – 8:30 pm – Imagine Variety Show

FREE – Donations to CV Food Bank appreciated

Performers include Century Sid, Laurie Tinkler Dancers, Drumstruck, Love to Perform Theatre Arts, The Metis Dancers, Forbidden Barbershop Singers, Freedom Flute—Tracy Canil, Lyall Steel French Canadian Guitar, Dave Denz Celtic and more

 

To Top it all off we end with a major firework display, synchronized to music, courtesy of Quality foods and The Eagle Radio 🙂

Enjoy!

 

XO

Anna