Light rain, clouds, wet grass, … and patriotic hearts.
Wrap all of those elements together and you may have witnessed Canada Day celebrations today (July 1) in Prince George.
O Canada is sung in Prince George’s Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park for the 46th consecutive year 🗣🇨🇦 Listen! Everyone joins in | #CityOfPG #Canada152 @PGMatters pic.twitter.com/fO1vH6cA10
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) July 1, 2019
This was the 46th consecutive event held in Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park, which saw hundreds of residents come for the formal greeting and performers at the band stage, arguably bringing in thousands at the peak of celebrations.
The Multicultural Heritage Society of Prince George organized the festivities.
Dozens of merchants and food vendors were set up in the park, showing off the diversity of Canadians living in B.C.’s northern capital.
The Rocky Mountain Rangers marched in the flags, two RCMP members guarded the stage, and the Khats’an drummers also carried in the audience with a performance of their own.
Khats’an Drummers perform at the Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park Band Stage 🥁 “The Water Carries Us” is played as light rain starts to fall in Prince George | #CityOfPG #Canada152 @PGMatters pic.twitter.com/BufMr6vTG5
— Kyle Balzer (@KyleBalzer) July 1, 2019
Notable dignitaries that helped kick off Canada Day, and cut the large vanilla sheet cake at the end of it all, were Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall, Cariboo-Prince George MP Todd Doherty, and Prince George MLAs Shirley Bond and Mike Morris.
“It’s an important day for us,” said Mayor Hall. “Today gives us the chance to opportunity to recognize how what this country means to us. We should be doing that every day, but particularly on Canada’s birthday, it’s a chance for us to look around and really offer up thanks for what the country has to offer for all of us.”
“The words freedom, democracy, and justice are more than just words,” added Doherty. “Today’s the day where I think of those great men and women who have given up their lives and sacrificed so much so that we could be free. Today, I think about our cultural mosaic; all of us, regardless of where we come from, we celebrate our diversity. This is a day that means so much [...] that we remember that we are the true north strong and free.”
A fireworks show is scheduled later this evening atop of Connaught Hill Park starting at 11 p.m.
