City ready to celebrate Canada Day
04/29/2006
City ready to celebrate Canada Day Entertainment, food, fireworks all part of the party
BY VINCENT BALL
EXPOSITOR STAFF / BRANTFORD
Rain or shine there will be “Sunny Days” in Brantford on July 1.
Lighthouse, a Canadian band that produced nine gold records and won four Juno Awards with tunes including Sunny Days, will be the headline performer at this year’s Canada Day celebration.
The band’s appearance was announced by Robert McConkey, chairman of Brantford’s Canada Day 2006 board of directors, at a news conference on Friday.
“Lighthouse was undeniably one of the driving forces of the Canadian pop machine of the 1970s,” McConkey said. “In a time before Canadian radio stations were required to play a minimum of homegrown talent, Lighthouse wasn’t affected.
“Their keen pop sensibility, combined with plain musical talent and clever production styles, helped their light shine brightly, guiding many of today’s groups along the way.”
Live entertainment, however, is just one part of a day of activities planned to celebrate Canada’s birthday.
“We want to make Brantford the place to be if you can’t be in Ottawa on Canada Day,” McConkey said. “We can’t replicate the Parliament buildings but we can replicate the passion for Canada the celebration in Ottawa generates.”
Last year’s celebration was a huge success, attracting more than 30,000 people and McConkey is expecting an even better festival this year.
City resident Donna Summerhayes, a member of the Order of Canada, will preside over a citizenship court again this year. The new Canadians will participate in a celebration walk from Lorne Park to Cockshutt Park for the Canada Day festivities.
A Guinness Book of World Records attempt to have the greatest number of people walking on stilts at one time will be held with organizers hoping to attract 600 people on the tall sticks.
Last year’s attempt at the world record fell short, but McConkey called that “success delayed.”
HIGHLIGHTS
Other highlights of the celebration include:
• Pavilion featuring foods from across the country
• Pavilion with artists and guilds interpreting Canadian culture through their art
• Play area featuring face painting and children’s plays. As well, Scouts Canada will bring in a rock climbing wall and operate an activity area
• Marketplace that includes arts and crafts from across the area
• A beer tent with seating for 300 patrons
• A fireworks display along the banks of the Grand River
• A five-kilometre road race
• And an area that will provide a lost and found service, pet care, travel information and lost child assistance has been added to this year’s festival.
The festival is being supported by numerous businesses that have either provided financial or in-kind donations. The city is paying for the fireworks display.
Friday’s news conference was held at the Holmedale Business Centre, created by the redevelopment of the former derelict Harding Carpet site on Morrell Street by developer Steve Charest of King and Benton.
King and Benton is the major sponsor of this year’s Canada Day celebration with a $25,000 donation.
It’s an important contribution because an event this size this needs stable funding, McConkey said.
In his formal remarks, Charest said he is pleased to be able to contribute the event.
“This is all about Canada, all about Brantford and all about the community.”
The news conference attracted many members of the Canada Day celebration committee as well as dignitaries, including Mayor Mike Hancock, Brant MPP Dave Levac and Brant MP Lloyd St. Amand.
“Any informed Canadian will know the place to be on Canada Day is Brantford,” said St. Amand, adding that he is expecting a great celebration.
Noting the increasing ethnic diversity of Brantford, Levac said he is looking forward to the citizenship court.
Hancock, meanwhile, congratulated the committee for a job well done. “You have done an absolutely amazing job of putting this together.”
CELEBRATE CANADA DAY
What | Brantford’s Canada Day Celebration. |
| When | July 1. |
| Where | Cockshutt Park with a citizenship court being held at Lorne Park. |
| Who | The list of live entertainers includes:
Lighthouse; Saturday Nite Fish Fry, and eight-piece band that plays classic rhythm and blues songs; singer, dancer and actor Michael Danso; the Murray Williams Band performing country and western music; singer Marissa Wilson, The Bevy; The White Pine Dancers; and the duo of Glenn Higgins and Steve Beach who together perform smooth jazz, rhythm and blues, Latin swing and ballads as On the House. |
| Volunteers needed | The Canada Day committee is looking for more volunteers to help make the celebration a success. Anyone interested in helping out can call Bob McConkey at 759-8702 or e-mail him at bob@brantfordscanadaday.com |
