Oh Canada, what a day!
See the problem is, they call it Canada Day, but it’s really Canada Days and picking and choosing between them isn’t easy. Let’s start in Ladysmith.
We love Transfer Beach as you probably know, and that’s a great place to have Canada Day, which is why the clever folks at Parks and Rec are having it there from 1 to 5pm. There’s going to be music and lots of family activities. And of course they have the water park there and one of the best concession booths around – great burgers!
Nanaimo’s Maffeo Sutton park boasts one of the best playgrounds around with a wonderful view of the Harbour, plus it’s getting all polished up for the opening of the new Spirit Square, so what better place to hold Nanaimo’s Canada Day celebrations. Our kids love the Kerplunks and guess who’s going to be there!! A multi-cultural food fair promises lots of good eating and there’ll be plenty of fun activities as well. It all starts at 11am and runs until 3:15pm.
If you like your celebrations to start early, then Parksville’s Canada Day celebrations will get you going at 8am with the popular Shriner’s pancake breakfast. What could more Canadian than piling on the butter and the maple syrup! Then it’s the annual Canada Day parade down the Island Highway starting at 10am. Get your seats early because this is always well attended and this year everything about the Parksville celebration is supposed to be even bigger! Then it’s off to the Community Park for a full day of fun starting at noon.
No matter where you spend the day on July 1st, though, you’ll want to end up in Parksville around dusk because it’s time for fireworks! Our littlest one has turned out to be the biggest fireworks fan after a couple of years of ear-covering, so she’ll be there. With her family of course – can’t have the 5 year old driving by herself to Parksville.
