Summer has finally descended on us in Sea to Sky Country. The Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada is humming with events and celebrations and I invite you to come out and enjoy as many of them as you can handle.
First of all, congratulations to the organizers, volunteers and competitors of another successful Test of Metal event last Saturday. It is particularly rewarding to see so many of our Team Squamish athletes finishing in the top of this elite field. Also this past Tuesday, the Aboriginal Day Celebration at Totem Hall was very well attended with the Squamish Nation youth paddling team once again taking the honours.
Today (June 24) is the second annual celebration of St. Jean Baptiste Day starting at 4 p.m. on Cleveland Avenue. If last year's inaugural event is any indication, this will be another fun and diverse celebration of our Canadian francophone culture. Later that evening our community will again raise more than $100,000 in the all night Relay For Life event at Brennan Park. If you have never experienced the luminary ceremony, it is both an incredibly moving and motivational experience. This is an event where our community goes above and beyond in its response to the fight against cancer.
Saturday (June 25) is also packed with events. The Diamond Head Legion is celebrating its 85th anniversary with a family breakfast and is sending a signed flag to Afghanistan in support of our troops. Later that morning is another event that Squamish is renowned for throughout the province which is the Squamish Sikh Society Parade and Celebration of the Martyrdom of the 5th Guru. This celebration features bright colours, music and incredible Indian food. Squamish Equinox Rock Festival (SERF) returns in the evening of the 25th to our Oceanfront Park. The Mamquam River Whitewater Festival takes place the whole weekend from Saturday to Sunday (June 25 to 26).
All of this leads up to the most action-packed Canada Day Celebration that our community has ever seen. This event is a co-ordinated partnership of many groups including the Downtown BIA, Chamber of Commerce, District of Squamish, Churchill Property Corp., Squamish CAN, Heritage Canada and Pro-Spec Productions. The day includes a Canada Day Market, Classic Car Show, march and flag-raising ceremony and live music performances as well as a family fun zone. We will also have an opening ceremony of the O'Siem Pavilion at 1 p.m., then at 9:30 p.m. there will be an outdoor showing of the movie Home at the pavilion, followed by fireworks.
Then the B.C. Bike Race is in town on July 8. You might also plan your summer calendars around the August long weekend when Squamish Days Logger Sports once again draws logger sport athletes from around the world to compete. And if that is not enough, the weekend of Aug, 21 and 22, the wildly successful Live at Squamish Music Festival returns.
Have a great summer, everyone.
