July 1st marks a major milestone for Canada, and Central Alberta has numerous festivities planned to help celebrate the country’s 150th anniversary.
In Red Deer, Bower Ponds is the place to be with an all day party at Bower Ponds. Starting at 11 a.m. there will be ethnic food booths, live entertainment, a children’s festival area, bouncy castles and birthday cake. It is capped off by a fireworks display.
This year’s live performers include Los Morenos, Laren Steppler, Ruined Escape Plan and Dave McCann and the Firehearts. They take to the stage starting at 6:10 p.m. and go until 11:10 p.m. Then the fireworks close out the big birthday.
It is free to attend the event, and people are asked to not bring their dogs.
But for those wanting fun by the lake, Sylvan Lake has a day jam-packed full of activities including:
- Sylvan lake sailing club’s charity race.
- H.J. Cody School band and choir performance, flag raising ceremony and colour party, march of Canadians (at the Municipal government building, 5012 48th Ave. from 1 to 2 p.m.)
- Birthday cake celebration on the pier at 2:15 p.m.
- Drop-in music class (at House of Music, 4001 Lakeshore Dr., 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., costs $5 per child) and kids karaoke (also at House of Music, from 2 to 4 p.m.)
- Rotary’s great duck race (At the buckwilds Parking lot, 4715 Lakeshore Dr. at 4 p.m.)
- Activities all day along Lakeshore drive, finishing with musical fireworks at 11 p.m.
Gord Bamford headlines a day of Canada 150 activities in Lacombe. The revered country star takes the stage at the ME Global Athletic Park at 9:30 p.m.. Before then there will be a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., numerous family activities and live music from local bands. Meanwhile, downtown from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. there is a wide range of activities from historic tours to a petting zoo.
In Blackfalds, the town has two grand openings planned. The Wadey Centre (4400 South St.) and the Bark Park (4505 South St.) will be opened at 10:30 a.m. and 12 p.m. respectively. There are activities all day at the mutli-plex (5302 Broadway Ave.), spray park (5018 Waghorn St.) and Abbey Centre (4500 Womacks Rd.), finishing with fireworks at All Star Park, 4800 Leung Rd. presented by the Blackfalds Pyro Crew.
Penhold’s festivities happen during the day on July 1 at the Lincoln Street Recreation Centre. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. there will be a barbecue, fire truck rides for children and more.