Canada Day is fast approaching and organizers are busy preparing for a return of in-person celebrations after more than two years of the pandemic.
“Come celebrate Canada Day in person this year and rekindle your love of this great event here in the Municipality of Meaford with spectacular activities happening in Annan, Bognor and at the Meaford Harbour,” said the Municipality of Meaford in a media release.
On Friday, July 1, the municipality, in partnership with many local groups and organizations, is offering Canada Day festivities throughout the day at the Meaford Harbour.
“Bring your family, a couple of lawn chairs and make a day of it! We are thrilled to announce that there will be a land acknowledgement and flag raising ceremony, air show, an excellent line up of live music, many free activities for adults and kids both on and off the water, great food and refreshments, community connections, a twinkle light boat show at dusk, and so much more. It’s also a Meaford Farmer’s Market day, which is a great opportunity to shop local and enjoy all they have to offer while spending a day at the Harbour,” said the municipality.
While the Canada Day events are returning, there will not be any fireworks at Meaford’s harbour this year, though both Bognor and Annan’s celebrations will include fireworks.
“This year we will not be hosting our traditional large scale fireworks display at the Meaford Harbour but you can still enjoy fireworks at the great events held in Bognor and Annan this Canada Day. We’ve also got some great alternatives, like the Twinkle Light Boat Show, the Dam Pub Air Show and so much more,” the Municipality explained. “Like you, the Municipality is sensitive to inflation and understands our responsibility to use tax dollars efficiently. Prices are going up and supplies can be difficult to secure, fireworks are certainly included in this. Therefore, we have had to reflect on where we can spend our money while still offering a great event for our residents. To host an inclusive event we have made the decision to forego fireworks and will instead offer great activities and music by local artists.”
The Municipality notes that other communities have sought alternatives to fireworks as part of their Canada Day celebrations.
“We’ve seen other municipalities shift to alternatives to fireworks like light shows that are less noisy and friendlier for wild animals and our pets. This is an alternative that we are investigating to see if it is a possibility for our future Canada Day events. We are excited that there is an air show planned in the afternoon on Canada Day over the Harbour that has been sponsored by the Dam Pub, and will give us reason to look to the sky,” the Municipality explained.
For more information, including full event itineraries and a list of the organizations, businesses, and people who made these events possible, visit Meaford.ca/CanadaDay.
