Canada Day celebrations expected to push forward despite rainy weather

The rainy weather forecasted for Canada Day in southern Manitoba may shift a few people's plans, but community organizers are moving forward with their scheduled celebrations in Winnipeg.

Zohreh Gervais, executive director of the Osborne Village BIZ said there will be tons of family activities at The Bell Tower on 150 Osborne Street and live music venues who are excited to open their doors or patios on July 1.

"They are all hopefully not going to get rained out tomorrow," she said on CBC Radio's Weekend Morning Show with Nadia Kidwai on Sunday. "We are praying for sunshine."

Gervaissaid she's excited to resume Canada Day celebrations at Osborne Village after a multiple-year hiatus.

"We really wanted to bring that for the community. I've heard from so many people that that was something people really missed," she said.

The Mtis duo TiBert et Douzie will start the celebratory events in Osborne Village with a storytelling session at 1 p.m. followed by circus acts and performances frombluegrass bands The Spectacles and the Dirty Catfish Brass Band.

The Forks will be hosting events from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. which includes a slam dunk competition and the final game of Basketball Manitoba's three-day tournament, skateboarding demonstrations andworkshops with the Graffiti Gallery and Pitikw.

The Winnipeg Sea Bears will also be on site to greet visitors during the day.

Zach Peters, the communications manager at The Forks, said this year's events build on a framework of acknowledging Canada through a lens of reconciliation.

"It really is about recognizing that everybody has different approaches and feelings toward what Canada Day is," he said.

Peters said it's a day to celebrate the country's diversity while reflecting on its history and what it means to move forward as a community.

He said The Forks has partnered with 2Spirit Manitoba and Tunngasugit Resource Centre who will host a panel with youth and Indigenous Eldersin addition to Inuit game demonstrations and throat singing.

Meanwhile, Knowledge Keeper Cree Crowchild will be hosting Fire Teachings at the Indigenous Peoples Garden Fire Node from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Assiniboine Park.

"That is a really great opportunity for people to come and learn and really understand that part of the Indigenous culture," Bruce Keats said, who is the chief operations officer at the park.

While a variety of family friendly activities will take placeon the main field near the Lyric Theatre, Keats said he is especially excited to watch people officially receive their Canadian citizenship at a ceremony in the morning.

"My partner is actually becoming a Canadian citizen, so I am really looking forward to that tomorrow and for them to be participating in the celebrations," he said.

"If people haven't come and experienced that, that is truly a magical opportunity to see new Canadians officially become Canadians."

The Winnipeg Chinese Senior Association had to switch up their third annual Canada Day celebratory plans after they found out Monday is forecasted for rain.

President of the organization, Yan Jiang, said she is happy the activities scheduled for Monday atBridgwater Lakes Park in southern Winnipegwere moved to Sunday because the weather encouraged more people to participate.

"We were looking forward to the date so we wanted to make sure that it was going to be lots of fun for people to come," Jiang said at the Chinese cultural event that took place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Many people attended the celebration to watch a traditionallion and dragon dance and eatChinese food.

Throughout the weekend, approximately 70 vendors set up tables at the third annual Tyndall Community Market on 2255 King Edward Street, Lou Alarkon,one of the organizers, said on Saturday.

She said the market is all about food, culture, fun and representing Winnipeg's diverse community.

"This is an opportunity for food trucks, local businesses, young entrepreneurs to basically get the exposure and basically market themselves to the community," Alarkon said.

Fireworks will wrap up the evening celebrations at the Tyndall Community Market, Alarkon said.

Community members can also watch fireworks at Princess Auto Stadium, Assiniboia Downs, Burland Park and Sage Creek.

WATCH | Canada Day celebration in Bridgwater a day early:

Canada Day celebration in Bridgwater a day early

3 months ago

Duration 1:11

The Winnipeg Chinese Senior Association held its Canada Day celebration on Sunday a day early to avoid rain that's in the forecast. CBC's Gavin Axelrod speaks with association president Yan Jiang about the event, which took place in the city's Bridgwater neighbourhood, and with attendees Ruhna Ali and Lula Tedla.