The celebrations of the 156e Canada Day will be in full swing coast to coast on Saturday 1er July. Here is an overview of the free events that will take place a stone’s throw from your home.
To Montreal
The Canada Day Parade returns to Sainte-Catherine Street West. The procession will set off at 11:00 a.m. from the intersection of Rue du Fort, then criss-cross downtown to Place du Canada, near the Bonaventure metro station. A series of cultural events will take place at the destination. A cake more than two meters high, which can serve up to 2,500 people, will be shared for the occasion, among other things.
The Quai de l’Horloge in the Old Port will not be outdone. A swearing-in ceremony for new citizens will open the celebrations at 1 p.m. A 21-gun salute will follow to mark the country’s anniversary. Activities and games for young and old will then take place. Those curious about skateboarding will have the opportunity to learn about the sport under the tutelage of the Caravane du Taz. Parks Canada will also offer a game “on the trail of wildlife” to familiarize visitors with the country’s green spaces.
In Quebec
The Plains of Abraham will host a number of Peking opera, a type of show combining music and acrobatics recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. The winner of the 2017 edition of The voiceLudovick Bourgeois, will also take the stage to sing songs from his latest album.
In Ottawa
Three heritage sites in the federal capital invite visitors from 10 a.m. The Bank of Canada Museum will offer a quiz on money and the economy. Drum and bagpipe performances will reverberate over Parliament Hill. And an exhibit on Inuit history and way of life will be held at 100 Wellington Street.
However, it is at Parc des Plaines-LeBreton that the heart of the Ottawa festivities will be found. A range of workshops will offer cultural discoveries for the whole family, such as making your own space mission patch or learning how to say “hello” in several indigenous languages. The traditional noon ceremony will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Then, between 7:15 p.m. and 10 p.m., the evening show will feature a total of 19 artists, including Pierre Kwenders, Josiane and France D’Amour. .
One thing is certain, it will be necessary to plan to move around without the car, because several streets in downtown Ottawa will be closed; however, public transit services will be free until 4 a.m.
Off the beaten track
In Montreal, some boroughs will celebrate Canada Day with a variety of themes. Montréal-Nord will showcase Latin dance at Parc Aimé-Leonard. In LaSalle, it will be the circus at Marie-Claire-Kirkland-Casgrain park. In Pierrefonds-Roxboro, folk songs from the Balkans, Chile and Finland will resound.
Longueuil will also hold its 110e Canada Day edition. The a cappella group QW4RTZ and composer Mélissa Ouimet will perform there. On the Laval side, there will be no fireworks, but the Center de la nature will serve as a location for customary celebrations and magic shows.
In Rawdon, in Lanaudière, we will salute rock icons while celebrating Canada Day: the group Parallel Universe will honor the titles of the Red Hot Chili Peppers; Lulu Hughes, those of Janis Joplin. Finally, further south, in Montérégie, the Bataille-de-la-Châteauguay site will host sporting events in the form of rallies and obstacle courses as well as sponge fights.