ST. PAUL - Canada Day in St. Paul will include a long list of activities for families to take part in this year.
The Town of St. Paul organizes the July 1 festivities and has sought feedback from the public in previous years to help guide plans.
"In previous years, we’ve had feedback from the community looking for more events leading up to the fireworks and we were fortunate enough to be approached this past fall from Calvin Vollrath with the idea of showcasing Canadian Fiddling from not only himself but his colleagues that evening," explains Sarah Burton, executive assistant with the Town of St. Paul.
A pancake breakfast at the St. Paul Legion will kick off the day at 8 a.m.
Then, the fun will move to the St. Paul Rec Centre area, where a car show, fiddling, a circus performance, DJ music by Earthman Media, and Kehewin Native Dance Theatre will provide an afternoon full of entertainment.
There will also be axe throwing, a petting zoo, rollerskating, a vendor market, sparkle tattoos, balloon animals, bouncy houses, St. Paul Fire Department hose spraying, and more.
The St. Paul Museum will also be offering free admission on July 1, and free movies will also be offered at the Elite Theatre in the later afternoon.
"There will always need to be a lead on organizing a community celebration and it’s natural progression that the Town be that channel for Canada Day," says Burton. But, the day wouldn't be possible without the help of many organizations, which the Town is thankful for.
The vendor market, for example, is fully booked and will be the largest Canada Day market to date.
The festivities will continue on into the evening, with a fundraiser barbecue being held by St. Paul Affordable Community Housing from 6 to 9 p.m., and A Celebration of Canadian Fiddling featuring Calvin Vollrath, Daniel Gervais, Mark Sullivan and Jeremy Rusu taking place at 9 p.m.
The traditional fireworks show will take place at about 11 p.m. at the Rec Centre ground.
Burton says the Canada Day celebrations is meant to be enjoyed by the whole community.
"When we see our attendance consistently growing, we know that we are on the right path and need to continue creating and evolving the event," says Burton.
The Town will once again be looking for feedback from residents following this year's event.
