Happy Canada Day weekend Collingwood and The Blue Mountains!
This weekend the nation celebrates its 151st birthday, and it looks like Ontario will need extra ice cream with the cake, because it’s going to be sweltering.
There’s tons to do this weekend with family-friendly events scheduled in Thornbury, Blue Mountain Village and Collingwood. Here’s a round-up of some of the things going on this weekend.
Collingwood
Saturday, June 30
Canada Day Eve: Start celebrating early with the Optimist Club annual Kids’ Fishing Derby from 8 a.m. to noon at Shipyard Park, and if catching dinner doesn’t work for you, stop by the farmers’ market at the Pine Street Parking Lot from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The Lumberjack Show at Sheffer Court at 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. will feature axe juggling and an aerial rope act. There will also be stilt walkers and several appearances by Princess Emilie.
Sunday, July 1
Canada Day: Get in the most important meal of the day at the annual Celebrity Pancake Breakfast from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. hosted by the Collingwood Optimist Club. The pancakes are prepared by celebrity chefs. The family bike parade starts at 10 a.m. from the Trott’s Sports Excellence Parking lot and finishes at the Loblaw parking lot.
Celebrate Canada’s birthday by trying a new thing. From 10 a.m. to 1 p.m try rowing, paddling or sailing with local water sport organizations. Kids’ activities continue at Sheffer court with face painting, and balloon twisting. Princess Emilie will be in front of town hall performing her princess show.
The citizenship reaffirmation ceremony begins at noon at the federal building on Hurontario Street followed by a gigantic Canada Day birthday cake. At 2 p.m. the rubber ducks take the plunge at the Hume Street Bridge for the annual Optimist Club rubber duck race.
In the afternoon, the song and dance begins behind the grain terminals at Millennium Park with several local artists performing on the outdoor stage. Also at the park, kids can enjoy games and activities organized through the Healthy Kids Community Challenge.
For the first time this Canada Day, there will be a poetry tent thanks to Collingwood’s new poet laureate Day Merrill.
The fireworks begin over the harbour at 10 p.m. Take in the view from the promenade or from Millenium Park. Following the fireworks take in a classic film outdoors at the Shipyards amphitheatre.
Blue Mountain Village
Saturday, June 30
Canada Day Eve at the Village: There will be family friendly events all day including a Canada Day scavenger hunt, guided hikes, live music by Jason Redman, a fashion show, craft station, beaver tail eating contest (3 p.m.) and interactive family groove dancing. The evening will feature live music by Mike Charette (5 p.m.) and Pat Robitaille (7 p.m.).
Sunday, July 1
Canada Day all day: Scavenger hunts, guided hikes and a creation station return again. This time, add in some live music at noon by Emma Wright and Rob Elder, a cake cutting ceremony at 2 p.m. and a magic show with Sawyer Bullock at 3 p.m. Aaron Garner starts the evening performance at 6 p.m. followed by a free concert with The Carpet Frogs. Finish the evening at 10 p.m. with the Village fireworks display over the Mountain.
Thornbury
Saturday, June 30
Canada Day Eve Party: This party is a joint effort between The Blue Mountains public library, the Town of The Blue Mountains and the Thornbury Clarksburg Rotary Club featuring local food, childrens’ activities, treats, a beer tent, live music and local films. The party starts at 4 p.m. at the Beaver Valley Community Centre. Fireworks begin at Tomahawk Complex at approximately 9:30 p.m.
Sunday, July 1
Beaver Crawl Triathlon: This annual event begins in Ravenna and is a non-traditional triathlon event that includes a 10-kilometre bike ride to Heathcote, a five-kilometre paddle down the Beaver River into Slabtown and a three-kilometre run to finish in Clarksburg. Registration is open to teams or individuals and canoe or kayak rentals are available. The event starts at 8:30 a.m.
Canada Day in Thornbury: Start the day with a pancake breakfast from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Royal Canadian Legion in Clarksburg. The morning events also include face painting, horse and carriage rides and a Georgian Bay British Car Club Show and Shine. Check out live music by Bored of Education on stage from 10 a.m. to noon in Clarksburg. The parade begins in Clarksburg at noon and finishes downtown Thornbury.
Events continue in Thornbury from late morning to early afternoon with face painting and balloon twisting, a performance by the Beaver Valley Concert Band, chili and hotdogs from the Rotary Club, a Steve Baker Magic Show and the Thornbury Farmers’ Market from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
At the Thornbury harbour check out live music by Highway 26 and visit the Fire Department, Coast Guard, OPP Marine Unit and OPP Emergency Response Team with their vehicles and various apparatus. At 1 p.m. enjoy a cake and sing O Canada together. From noon to 3 p.m. brows a sidewalk sale and head back to the harbour for a 2 p.m. airshow by Canadian Aerobatic champion pilot Gord Price.
At the end of the day, bring a chair to Bayview Park and enjoy Music in the Park. The July 1 show features the Toronto All Star Big Band.
