The annual July 1 festivities in Squamish officially begin downtown at 10 a.m. Catch the parade's colourful procession down Cleveland Avenue, followed by the first Walk to End ALS.
Vehicles will also return to the parade. Last year, the Squamish Rafting Company pulled a boat by hand through the parade route. Event co-ordinator Jessie Dumais said that’s part of the reason they’re allowing vehicles once again — including firetrucks.
At the end of the parade, Stan Clarke Park will be the site of the annual First Nations welcome and flag raising.
Between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., O'Siyam Pavilion and Junction Park will play host to live music, a kids zone and craft market. Dumais said there will be double the number of vendors and food trucks than last year. Performers include five-time JUNO nominees and kid favourite Bobs & LoLo, as well as Blueberry Jam, Aude Ray and the Wells.
For the first time, Squamish's free Canada Day events will span two venues. This, the Downtown Squamish Business Improvement Association executive director Anne Kadwell, said "will allow us to cater to family activities and community booths in the daytime and hold fireworks with beer gardens and music in the evening."
Starting at 7 p.m., the party moves to Brennan Park for a local beer, cider and spirits garden and even more live music by The Paperboys, who are JUNO and West Coast Music Award winners.
"We are thrilled to be welcoming JUNO winners the Paperboys to Squamish, knowing their reputation for getting a crowd dancing," Kadwell said in a press release.
Fireworks end the day with a bang at Brennan Park.
“It’s the ideal location,” Dumais said.
As the events will be free and family-friendly, organizers also ask those enjoying the festivities to help them go zero-waste.
"We're aiming to be more sustainable. So, we ask all vendors to reduce plastic use on-site. We're going to have a recycling sorting competition on site by the Howe Sound Secondary School to try to educate people a little bit more," Dumais said. "All the community can make an effort together to reduce our waste, and not only for the event, but in our regular life."
