Canada Day celebrations
June 30, 2009 by Bram Rossman
Filed under Annual events, Arts, Canada government, Columbia Valley, Coming events, Community, Recreation
A parade through downtown Invermere on July 1 always features plenty of smiles in a special showing of national pride. (Photo by Bram Rossman)
July 1 –
Celebration of this Canada’s birthday is always a big deal in the Columbia Valley and plans for July 1, 2009 are no different.
Always a step ahead, the Windermere Valley Kinsmen Club will kick off Canada Day with a spectacular fireworks display that will explode over Lake Windermere at exactly midnight on June 30.
The following morning, Fairmont Hot Springs Resort will be the host of the second annual Crazy Soles Fantastic 3 Triathlon. Noted for its minimal distance and maximum elevation, racers will swim 600 meters, pedal 9 km on mountain bikes and follow it all up with a 5 km trail run. The race starts at 10:30 a.m. on July 1. Anyone interested in racing can download a registration package at www.crazysoles.ca, however the race is only open to 60 participants.
In Invermere, a festive and colourful parade will make its way down the main street starting at 11 a.m. on July 1. Fire trucks from the Invermere Fire Department and police cars from the Columbia Valley RCMP detachment always front the annual event. In a beautiful show of national pride, parade floats from local businesses and organizations follow behind. Parade observers are encouraged to dress up in red and white attire and bring Canadian flags to wave.
From 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. the annual Mountain Music Mosaic festival will be staged at Kinsmen Beach in Invermere. Featuring live musical entertainment, food, face painting and a large bouncy castle. A boat building contest between local emergency services will finish at the same time as the festival, at which time the builders will race around Tynton Bay in their newly constructed boats.
Down the valley again, at the base of the Fairmont Ski Hill, live music, barbeque and a beer garden will run from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Also worthy of mention is an event at Eagle Ranch Golf course where professional Canadian Golfer Stephen Ames will be making a special appearance. Starting at 4:15 p.m. the PGA Tour participant will put on a golf clinic for participants. At 5:30 p.m. Ames will begin an autograph session during a hosted corn roast that will finish at 6:30 p.m.
The evening will wind down with more fireworks in Fairmont which will be launched from the Fairmont Hot Springs Lodge at dusk.
The Windermere Valley Kinsmen Club always kicks off Canada Day celebrations with a midnight fireworks display on June 30. (Photo by Bram Rossman)
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