Canada Day Celebrations ~ Riverside Park ~ Kamloops,BC

Canada Day celebrations in Riverside Park made it a great day for thousands of people.  The city offered free bus service for the day so there was no parking or traffic problems to deal with. There was also a free shuttle offered from the Lansdowne Market transit exchange to Riverside Park.

Canada Day Celebrations in Kamloops, BC brings out the crowds

The Folkfest and Art in the Park had people coming in droves to see the sights, the entertainment and the art as well as to try the food from the multicultural booths that were set up throughout the park.

Dignitaries pose after the Opening Ceremonies

The dignitaries including local polticians participated in the opening ceremonies. We didn’t arrive in time to hear them speak but I was able to get this photo of those that were there, although I didn’t get names of the unfamiliar faces.  The ones I do know are Terry Lake, MLA for Kamloops/North Thompson, Kevin Krueger, MLA for Kamloops/South Thompson, Cathy McLeod, MP for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo and Tina Lange, Kamloops councilor form part of the front row.  Cheryl Blackwell, the MC for the ceremony and Chief Shane Gottfriedson of  KIB are in the back row.



 

 Cake cutting ceremony for Canada Day in Kamloops, BC

Councillor Tina Lange helps to cut the cake as the Miss Kamloops royalty looks on.  The cake cutting is always a favorite with line-ups starting early for the free piece of cake they would be given.  The cake looked great but I wasn’t joining into that line.

Artists and Musicians at Riverside Park, Kamloops, BC

There were some very talented artists there with their artwork on display and for sale.  The booths were set up all over the park and ISC entrance, overall displaying an exciting variety.  What a great place to show the talented artists Kamloops has.



Carly Schmidt - Hand painted pictures

One very talented artist is Carly Schmidt and she was busy working on one of her painting.  She had several examples of her talent hanging for us to see.  Click here to see more of her work on her webpage.

Sheila Munro - Dropping Form Designs

Another talented lady is Sheila who works magic with feathers and hats!  This hat was beautiful, as were her others on display, check out her webpage for more info.



Children's Activities at Canada Day in Kamloops, BC

These appeared to be a popular part of the activities, I suspect the line-ups were a constant for the children’s activities that were on hand.  The big inflatables included a spaceship and a pirate ship.

Pirates and a Princess for Canada Day in Riverside Park

There was the Pirate magician and several actors dressed in costumes and wandering the park entertaining the kids and offering photo opportunities for the tourists who were also there enjoying the Canada Day celebrations.

Flags and Canada Day hats galore

The festivities began with the pancake breakfast at 7am and were ongoing throughout the day ending with fireworks at 10:30pm. Thousands of us enjoyed the day and it was great to see a big turnout spending the day in the sunshine having a fun time with their families and friends.

Thanks to all who worked hard to make this special day a success, including the City of Kamloops workers who installed the gabion wall of sand to make sure the river didn’t interfere with the celebrations in Riverside Park. Well done!

Check here for more information about Canada Day and the National Flag of Canada.



Canada Day ~ July 1 ~ National Flag

HAPPY CANADA DAY ~ JULY 1 CELEBRATIONS ~ KAMLOOPS, BC



The Maple Leaf flag was first raised on February 15, 1965 in Ottawa, Ontario and is now seen all over the world as Canadians wave their flags.

The National flag of Canada flies in Vancouver, BC 

“The flag is the symbol of the nation’s unity, for it, beyond any doubt, represents all the citizens of Canada without distinction or race, language, belief or opinion."

Honorable Maurice Bouget, Speaker of the Senate ~ February 15, 1965

Blind Bay Parade, July 1, 2011

July 1^st is the anniversary of the date that Canada became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain in 1867.  We celebrated Dominion Day until 1982 until it was officially named Canada Day in 1983.  The special day is celebrated across Canada and beyond and the flag can be seen in all shapes and sizes to show our pride and colors. 

Osprey 2000 on Kootenay Lake, BC

The flag is a symbol of pride and honor and should be treated with respect and take precedence over all other national flags flown in Canada.  The only ones to take precedence over these would be for Royal Family members or Her Majesty’s 11 representatives in Canada.



Portrait of Honor, Kamloops, BC

 When flown with other flags, the National Flag of Canada should be in the center of a combination.  This special display was during the ceremony for the Portraits of Honor in 2011 held in Riverside Park.

Aboriginal Days in Kamloops, BC

 Flag etiquette is not governed by legislation but by an established practice over the years.  The etiquette information is here if you wish to check it out, but showing respect could be the number one rule.

Shriners Parade in Kamloops, BC

When the National Flag is raised or lowered or carried past in a parade, all present should face the flag, men should remove their hats and all should remain silent.  Those in uniform should salute.  

Santa Claus Parade in Kamloops, BC

 Red and white have been the official colors of Canada since they were appointed by King George V in 1921.  This Santa parade also had another great symbol of red and white appear when Santa Claus went by, and that symbol began much earlier than 1921. 

Flag of Canada flies in the USA

During our visits to the U.S. we often see our Canadian flag flown alongside the American flag to welcome us there.  It always gives me a special sense of pride to see our flag in another country, showing the ‘welcome mat’ and I’ve taken photos of many of them.

The National Flag of Canada at Kamloops Lake

We may not be flag-wavers like other countries are, but we do have great pride in this great country we call home and July 1 is one time that we do show our patriotism and wave our flags high. 



Grandson wears the hat

Kamloops will celebrate July 1 with culture, art, music and festivities being celebrated.  The day begins with a Lions Pancake breakfast and ends the day with a fireworks display after dark.    Don’t forget the free concerts begin July 1 with Music in the Park from 7 – 8:30pm.  All of this takes place in Riverside Park.  See you there!