Celebrating Canada’s 150th birthday

Canada’s official 150^th birthday may have passed, but there are 1000’s of activities and celebrations planned that will continue throughout the summer! Here’s a short list of some impressive, quirky, and fascinating events out there this summer.

1. Canada: Free admission to all national parks, marine conservation areas and historic sites. All-year round
2. Newfoundland: Watch the sunrise on Canada Day in Newfoundland in one of Canada’s most eastern points: Signal Hill in St. Johns. From Aug 16 to sept 17, Bonavista Peninsula: Bonavista Biennale: “a visual art installation of 25 artists along a 50-km loop that includes historic outport communities”
3. Toronto: From July 28^th to 30^th Toronto is holding a Beer Festival. Throughout the year, the city hosts Canada on Screen 2017.
4. Vancouver: Every evening in the most spectacular cinematic experience, Cambie Bridge serves as a blank canvas to show the Magic of a Salmon run from June to late September.
5. New Brunswick: For the more musical inspired people among us, Academy Award-winning composer Howard Shore composed a Canada 150 song that the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra will use to start their Canada 150 tour, which will visit some of Canada’s provinces until July 7.
6. Saskatchewan: Canada is home to one of the most varied landscapes in the world and Saskatchewan has found a way to make people enjoy discovering just how varied it is. Scour the folding valleys, venerable gorges, emerald plains and mystical waters on the province-wide geo-cache challenge. Go with friends, family or just in the company of your own glorious self and be amazed by the splendor of nature while hunting for treasure.
7. Montreal: Montreal celebrates both its 375^th as well as Canada’s 150^th birthdays in a most impressive way. A massive installation of LED lights will illuminate the Jacques Cartier Bridge. How are these LED lights activated in real time? By the seasons and the energy of the city of course!
8. Nova Scotia: Those who want to crawl into the skin of a real 78^th Highlander can go all out in the “Ready, Aim, Fire” spectacle in Halifax Citadel. You can shoot an authentic, old-time rifle there.
   Fort Anne is not only celebrating Canada’s 150^th but also its own 100^th Fort Anne National Historic Site in Annapolis Royal was the first national historic site in the country and thus a must-visit.
9. Calgary: From July 7 to 15, the annual Calgary Stampede will be centered around Canada 150 this year. Later in September, the city stages Beakerhead. This is an annual celebration of science and art that always completely transforms the city centre. This year it will even feature a larger-than-life game of Snakes and Ladders!
10. Prince Edward Island: PEI also has 2 birthdays to celebrate this year. Not only will they have events for Canada 150 going on, they also celebrate the 20^th birthday of the Confederation Bridge that links PEI to mainland Canada.
11. Manitoba: To show how proud they are of their Icelandic Heritage, Viking Park opens up in Gimli. Manitoba also holds a Canada 150 Mosaic Project. 150 mosaic murals that represent Canadian history can be seen in communities such as Selkirk, Portage La Prairie and Steinback.
12. Ontario: The weekend after July 1 will see a huge farm-to-table food fest in Campbellford. The city houses the coolest goat race that will go down the main street there like every year too. Better get your kids ready for such a sight!