Canada Day is a statutory holiday celebrated on July 1 by people who call Canada their home. The day commemorates the anniversary of the Constitution Act, which was signed in 1867. The act consolidated three new territories that agreed to collaborate to join Canada’s wider confederation.
Canada Day is unofficially known as the birthday of Canada. But July 1, 1867, was a significant milestone in the country’s evolution into its present form of ten provinces & three territories.
Moreover, Canadians celebrate Canada Day in many ways, like fireworks, picnics, events, parades, etc. The day can also be viewed as a kick-off to many of the festivals that happen across the country in July & August.
The summer festivals in Canada have international audiences & they are an excellent way to explore the country. However, this blog will accentuate a few festivals taking place across Canada this summer.
Canada Day: The Canadian National Exhibition
The Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto is typically called ‘the Ex’. This annual event occurs in the last two weeks of August. The Ex has almost 1.4 million visitors & is one of the largest annual fairs in Canada.
In addition, agriculturists, engineers, & scientists represent their country by showcasing their inventions/ discoveries. The grounds also have some live entertainment, food stands, a casino, and much more!
Montreal International Jazz Festival
The Festival International de Jazz de Montreal organizes almost 650 concerts which feature over 3,000 artists/ performers globally. Many of these concerts/ programs are complimentary outdoor performances. Moreover, the festival takes place from June 29 to July 8, thus attracting over 200,000 visitors globally.
The Calgary Stampede
It is one of the most famous festivals occurring in Canada. It is a rodeo show that occurs every year in July & is a significant part of the cultural identity of Calgary. In addition, the Stampede attracts millions of visitors over those ten days of rodeos, agricultural challenges, parades, races, parties, etc. This year, the Stampede is from July 7 to July 16.
Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo
Amid Canada Day celebrations, this is a weeklong event that takes place from June 30 to July 3 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The event features military demonstrations, highland dancers, bagpipes, etc. In addition, themed tattoo performances are also included in the event every year. Over 2,000,000 spectators enjoy the shows in areas across Halifax, thus featuring thousands of performers from various nations.
Richmond Night Market
Richmon’s Night Market is a yearly night market held in Richmond, British Columbia. It is North America’s largest night market. Interestingly, this market occurs every weekend all summer, i.e., from April to October.
This year, the theme is Summer Wonderland & there will be almost 600 international food items from 110 food trucks & booths.
Newfoundland & Labrador
The 47th Annual Newfoundland & Labrador folk festival will take place on July 7, 8, & 9 this year. The crowd is invited to Bannerman Park in St. Johns for music, food, & craft. In addition, the theme of this year is ‘Everything that’s old is new again’ & the festival aims to bring back some favorite traditions from the past. Along with this, the program will also add new traditions to celebrate the unique heritage & history of the province.