By Natalie Monday, June 20, 2022

Canada Day weekend is almost here! It’s hard to believe it’s already halfway through June! This year many Canada Day celebrations are back for the first time in a few years so this year will be an extra special year as we once again come together to celebrate our beautiful country. Celebrate Canada Day this year with your friends and family wherever you are across Ontario at amazing festivals, fireworks displays, family fun events, outdoor activities and more. Each region is celebrating with lots to do to make this year a big celebration.  We’ve pulled together some great ways to celebrate in each region to help you find a way to celebrate that is perfect for you!

Celebrations in the GTA

In Woodbine Park, join in on the Q107 Canada Day Picnic at 12pm for a full day of food, a beer garden, a kids zone with arts & crafts, games, lots of music and Toronto’s largest fireworks display! Listen to Rock & Roll Tributes to Tom Petty, The Tragically Hip, Foreigner, AC/DC, Alanis Morrisette, Pearl Jam and Bon Jovi. Grab the family for a day of fun at Richmond Green Park in Richmond Hill. With lots of live entertainment, a beer garden, one of the largest fireworks displays in the region, an artist exhibit, lots of food, midway and more! Ajax Downs is open from 2-10pm on Canada Day with 2 stages of live entertainment, kids’ activities, a sensory zone, cultural performances, food & beer vendors and fireworks! Don’t worry about getting home, there will be a free Canada Day Shuttle. In Vaughan, grab tickets for Canada’s Wonderland and the Canada Celebrations are included in your park admission! It’ll be a day of celebrating our great country with live music, authentic Canadian food, street performers, fireworks, West Coast Lumberjacks performance of axe throwing and wood carving, and more!

Celebrations in Southwestern Ontario

Homecoming-Heritage 2022 is back this year on Canada Day weekend in the town of St. Mary’s, This quaint, beautiful town takes pride in celebrating with a homecoming weekend and this year will have a town-wide parade, a street dance, a festival, fireworks, plus a variety of community and cultural events! In Amherstburg, celebrate outside in the sunshine with sports, a 5K race, food trucks, a magician, free cupcakes, the newly updated splash pad, fireworks along the Detroit River and a live performance from The Buck Twenty Band in King’s Navy Yard Parkmore. Spend the day picking fresh strawberries at Barrie Hill Farms in Springwater. The beginning of July is peak strawberry picking season so celebrate picking fresh berries while listening to live music, and more! The Night Market and Canada Day celebrations in London will be one to remember! There will be a night market on June 30th followed by celebrations on the 1st with beer, food trucks, artisan vendors, entertainment and more!

Celebrations in Central & Northern Ontario

In Collingwood at Blue Mountain Village, you’ll have a day of fun with so many activities to do! There will be live music, groove dancing for all ages, family activities, fireworks and a scavenger hunt! In Parry Sound, head to the Stockley Centre for a three-day ribfest and Canada Day celebration! Come hungry to try all the ribs, different food vendors, get beer from the beer garden, listen to a variety of live music each day and kids can play in the Kids Zone where there will be inflatables, face painting, balloon artists, Zoo to You, and Midway Games! Head to the waterfront in Barrie for a day of fun filled activities like Airbrush Tattoos, party games, a Canadian Wildlife Display, busker performances, live entertainment​ and fireworks at 10 pm!

Celebrations in Eastern Ontario

In Gananoque, celebrate Canada Day weekend at the 1000 Islands Family Ribfest & Musical Festival on until July 3rd with great food, beer, music, events and more! Entry is two dollars per person and children are free. Make your way to Centennial Park in Quinte West and start your celebrations with a pancake breakfast! Celebrate the rest of the day with a vendor village, fireworks, a car show, Zoo to You interactive animal display, Blades of Glory medieval knight fighting shows, falconry demonstrations, Cassio Believe balloon twister and more! In Madawaska Valley, celebrate with a kids fishing tournament, a farmers market, live music, fireworks, a magic show, balloon fun and games and a free BBQ! Relax by the water and watch the Regatta Races in Brockville, play in the kids zone with bouncy castles, face painting and games, listen to live music and watch beautiful fireworks over the St. Laurence River at night!

Celebrations in the Ottawa Region

Canada’s Capital houses the largest Canada Day celebration in Ottawa and Gatineau. This famous celebration brings tons of events, interactive activities, appearances by dignitaries and special guests, live performances by top artists. The Tim Hortons Canada Day Fireworks – 2022 brings one of the most impressive fireworks displays in Canada that can be seen all around the Ottawa Area. This impressive pyrotechnic show will be displayed over the water between Ottawa and Gatineau. At Place des festivals Zibiin Ottawa, celebrate by listening to emerging artists, see BMX demonstrations, urban artwork, colour a mandala, learn to play lacrosse, play giant games in the park, play in the Tim Hortons Summer Fun Zone, and so much more! If you’re in the Barrhaven area, start Canada off with a family breakfast, a kids zone area and gym, multicultural performances, food vendors, ceremonial speeches, parade of flags, free birthday cake and tons of live music. Stittsville will also have tons to do on Canada Day – birthday cake, photo booth, inflatables, games, face painting, honeydrop body art, shows from Ray’s Reptiles, Horse and Wagon Rides, a glow stick giveaway and fireworks!

Celebrations in the Niagara Region

Niagara Falls has tons of activities to do during the day and a light show and fireworks display at night! The Summer Fireworks series over the falls brings one of the most sought after fireworks displays in Canada happening every night until October, including on Canada Day where the falls will be lit up in our nation’s colours! In downtown Niagara Falls, watch the Canada Day Parade starting at 11:00 am! In Lincoln, celebrate with their Canada Day Festival featuring tons of family fun including a scavenger hunt, carnival games, button making, Lincoln Fire Rescue Trucks, food vendors, a mad science show, live music and fireworks. Welland welcomes you to celebrate together with live music from Juno Award Winner Derek Miller and by keeping cool in the town’s water activities like paddle boarding, pedal boats, canoes, and kayaks. There will be food trucks, a rock climbing wall, inflatables, caricature and graffiti artists, lawn games, street buskers and curling on synthetic ice and more!

Wishing everyone a celebratory Canada Day!

Natalie & Phil