Happy 150th Canada!

With more than 50 activities planned for the Kelowna area, this special, community-wide 150th Canada Day party is sure to be exciting for everyone.

In the downtown Cultural District, free, family-friendly events will be spread across several venues, from 10am to 11pm.

Live entertainment to please all tastes will take place throughout the day on 6 different stages. See the Festivals Kelowna webpage for a detailed schedule.

At Kerry Park, help honour our First Nations communities with two blanket exercises, hosted by  The Ki-low-na Friendship Society and Westbank First Nation. Visitors are invited to participate (bring your own blanket or towel); this interactive learning experience will take place at 11 am and 1pm, with traditional Native dancing to follow.

Nearby at City Park, the Made in Canada Marketplace, featuring local artisans and crafters, and the Canada Day Bazaar, with wares from local small businesses, run until 6pm. Help support the talented local arts community, and find some unique treasures.

Activities range from tiny to enormous –the Okanagan Model Sailboat Association is hosting a mini-regatta, and the Great Canadian Colour-In begs you to add your touch to two giant murals. The Kelowna Art Gallery is also celebrating our Canadian and Okanagan heritage. They’ll once again be hosting the “Paint a Box” event, which lets participants show off their creativity on ready-to-decorate apple crates, as well as several other Canadian-inspired crafts.

Keep an eye out for these as you meander up Kelowna’s beautiful boardwalk to the picturesque Waterfront Park. Here you’ll find a dedicated Kid Zone (more than 20 drop-in activities, bouncy castles, and a petting zoo!) and A Taste of Canada, where visitors can tempt their tastebuds with delights from the booths and trucks of nearly 20 different food vendors.

Across the street, Prospera Place hosts several exciting events:

• Until 3:30, enjoy the ever-popular Folkfest. This 44th annual event is a great way to celebrate the diversity that has made Canada such a great place to live, offering live music, dancing and ethnic food booths from around the world.
• At 12:30, join the whole city in singing “Happy Birthday” to our wonderful country, with an enormous birthday cake! It’s going to take a lot of people to blow out 150 candles…
• At 7:30, the Kelowna City Band will perform a special “Canada 150” concert.

On the other side of the water, Westside Daze runs all weekend. The event starts on Friday, and WILL include fireworks at Gellatly Bay on Friday evening.

Saturday’s Canada Day celebration kicks off with a parade at 10:30, and events throughout the day. Find local crafters and delicious concession at booths that, and see amazing cultural music and dance performances each day, as well (not to be missed, the amazing Kinshira Fire Troupe performs at 10pm). Concerts take place each evening. Visit the Westside Daze website for details.

Celebrate Syilx heritage with the Westside First Nation’s program of fascinating events, including Pow Wow drumming, hand drumming, storytelling, traditional fishing demonstrations, and more. Rumour has it Ogopogo might even make an appearance!

Families can enjoy the Kids Fair, with a fire truck, a climbing wall, rides, games, crafts and interactive activities. Don’t forget Canada’s birthday cake! Candles will be blown out in West Kelowna at 3pm.

With so much on offer in the Kelowna area this weekend, there’s not shortage of ways to celebrate Canada and our unbeatable Okanagan community.