MORE than 200,000 people visited Canada Place, Jack Poole Plaza and surrounding city streets on Monday to enjoy the largest Canada Day celebration outside the nation’s capital. Presented by the Port of Vancouver, the 32nd Annual Canada Day at Canada Place featured a full day of music, attractions, entertainment and family activities celebrating Canada’s values, accomplishments, innovation and diversity.
Getting Canada’s 152nd birthday party off to an inspiring and patriotic start was a Citizenship Ceremony that welcomed 60 new Canadians to Canada’s multicultural family. What followed was a day packed with exciting activities and fun entertainment in a spectacular waterfront setting around the sails of Vancouver’s iconic Canada Place landmark. Capping it off was Vancouver’s only simultaneous two-barge fireworks show, a pyrotechnic extravaganza that was enjoyed by nearly half a million spectators gathered at Canada Place and hundreds of viewing points in the Burrard Inlet.
“Today was an amazing display of national pride,” said Gillian Behnke, Manager of Community Relations and Events at Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. “From children and adults bursting with pride at just having been sworn in as new Canadians to families that have made Canada Day at Canada Place an annual tradition for years, it was a wonderful to see so many different people wearing red and white, and coming together to celebrate everything that makes us such a great country.”
As always, Canada Day at Canada Place had something for everyone, including: a Canadian Forces Zone honouring Canada’s Army, Navy, and Air Force; a new Kid’s Zone filled with family activities and entertainment; an Innovation Zone providing a peek into the future; an interactive and entertaining Coast Capital Savings Youth Zone; and food trucks serving a range of cuisine as diverse as Canada’s rich cultural heritage.
Providing energy and rhythm to it all were two stages featuring an eclectic mix of up and coming music and dance artists, as well as Canadian world music group Delhi 2 Dublin.
“On behalf of Canada Place and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, I want to thank our generous sponsors, as well as the hundreds of performers, volunteers, organizers and other people who worked so hard to make this unforgettable celebration possible,” said Behnke. “We look forward to seeing everyone back next year for Canada Day at Canada Place.”
