Celebrate Canada Day

New this year, the event will focus activities primarily in Waterfront Park. Kelowna’s one-day party will include a variety of activities with appeal to a diversity of interests, ages, and tastes. Attractions will include live music on 3 outdoor stages across multiple genres, more than 25 different drop-in activities and games in the Century 21 Kids Zone including the City of Kelowna Park n’Play inflatables, a chick-hatching and holding station, pictures with a real-life mermaid, getting up close and personal with snakes and lizards courtesy of the “Reptile Queen”, and tons of hands-on craft stations such as the “make a fan and keychain” the station presented by Aesthetics Lab. Festivals goers can enjoy Canada Day goodies courtesy of sponsor partners such as TD Bank, Regency Resorts, BC Lottery Corporation, and Kelowna Cabs, watch the annual “Mini-Regatta” hosted by the Kelowna Model Sailboat Association, shop from over 25 artisan booths at the “Made in Canada Marketplace” or 22 unique small businesses in the “Canada Day Bazaar”, visit with 12 different Community Groups sharing info about the great work they do for our city, as well as enjoy a slice of freshly cut, cold watermelon courtesy of the great folks at Save-On-Foods. In addition to a whole new slate of performing artists on the stages, this year’s event features the first annual Canada Day Wienerama with over 112 wiggling puppies taking part in the “Canada Day Dachshund Races”, presented by the Kelowna Dachshund Club. Adding to the daytime energy, the Kelowna City Concert Band will perform a free show at a new time and location this year, on the plaza in front of Prospera Place from 10 am to 12 noon.Joining the party for their 48th year are the wonderful festivities presented by one of the longest-running Canada Day celebrations in Kelowna, the annual “Folkfest”. Produced entirely by volunteers from our community, visitors will enjoy 5 hours of live multicultural performances and ethnic food from a variety of local cultural groups from 10:00 am to 3:30 pm at Prospera Place. The official ceremonies and the popular “Happy Birthday Canada” cake courtesy of Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty will be held inProspera Place at 12:30 pm. A detailed schedule of multicultural performances is available in the “Celebrate Canada Day –Kelowna” schedule of events and at FestivalsKelowna.com Live music and cultural performances continue to play an important role in the Canada Day festivities. Three outdoor stages of live performances will include the “Kiwanis Family Stage presented by New Country 100.7” offering performances for children of all ages, the “Parks Alive! Power Stage presented by The Lizard 104.7 FM” featuring 7 local and touring Rock bands, and the “TD Beach Stage presented by K96.3 FM” highlighting multicultural performances between sets of Blues, Celtic, Country and headlined by Vancouver- based “XL The Band”, a hip-hop/Jazz alternative fusion band made up of multi-JUNO Award-winning performers from the Hip-hop group “Swollen Members”. Complete artist line-ups, stage times, and locations are available in the media kit and online at www.FestivalsKelowna.comAdditional Canada Day-themed activities in nearby Cultural District venues include the Kelowna Art Gallery which will offer a variety of drop-in, Canadiana themed craft activities from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, as well as free admission to its newest Gallery show “Takao Tanabe: Printmaker“.Wrapping up the Kelowna Canada Day celebrations is the much anticipated “Canada Day Fireworks presented by the City of Kelowna, Shoreline Pile Driving, and Festivals Kelowna” shot over Tugboat Bay. The show will begin at 10:00 pm and is visible anywhere North of the William R. Bennett bridge along the lakeshore