Canada Day 2022 is just around the corner

A big festival event is coming for Canada Day in Whitecourt. The fan-favourite pancake breakfast is back and will be hosted by Whitecourt Town Council from 9 am, and 11 am at Central School. Councillors will be flipping flap jacks and serving residents and hope to see lots of smiling faces in the lineup.

The Canada Day parade will be the next event to check out after a hearty pancake breakfast. “It will start at 11 am, and this year it will be hosted by the Whitecourt District Agricultural Society, so we are excited about that,” explained Chelsea Grande, Director of Community Services, during a recent Council meeting. With lots of floats, including a Town of Whitecourt float, the parade should be a lot of fun.

Throughout the afternoon, a Triples Co-Ed Sand Volleyball Tournament will be happening at Rotary Park. If you haven’t already, there might still be time to register your team. Call the Allan & Jean Millar Centre at 780-778-3637 to get into the action. Teams will start playing at 10 am.

Aside from the pancake breakfast and the parade, the Canada Day festivities are all down at Rotary Park. From 12 pm to 4 pm, there will be many activities for families to enjoy. “There is face painting, entertainment, crafts, inflatables, a kids’ carnival, and the performer Peter and Mary will be down there too,” said Grande, as she walked Council through the days’ events.

For those who haven’t heard of them before, Peter and Mary are a well-travelled act that brings music, ventriloquism, and fun together in one entertaining bunch. The pair have performed on stages worldwide, from Canada to Europe, Africa, and even the island of Bermuda. A peek at their website (www.peterandmary.net) gives an idea of what Canada Day with Peter and Mary is all about. “it’s a high-energy musical trip across this great nation, with songs from coast to coast.” With multiple instruments, characters, and songs, Peter and Mary will be a treat for children and parents this Canada Day.

At 3 pm, the crowd down at the park will pause to sing O’ Canada together, followed by delicious cupcakes that councillors will hand out. “Then after 4 pm, we will take a little bit of a pause and will be back with some live entertainment in the evening, which will start at 7:30 pm with Blues at 11, followed by Analog Smokeshow at 8:45 pm. We have a big name, Captain Tracker, at 8:15 pm,” noted Grande.

Calgary-based Captain Tractor, composed of members Chris, Scott, Jules, Jonny, Jason, and Shannon, has planned a rambunctious show. The folk-rockers wanted to have a party every night, which led them into music. Now they focus on bringing a party everywhere they go and always aim to bring the house down. The group has nine albums and recently released a 25-year-anniversary edition with some new tunes on it and plenty of re-mastered tracks. They will undoubtedly be a show not to be missed.

Grande explained that they were able to grab bigger-name artists thanks to a more significant grant from the federal government. She said there would be something for everyone to enjoy and is excited to have a large assortment of children’s activities this year.

The final piece of the Canada Day celebration is the explosive display that will fill the sky above Rotary Park. With the Whitecourt Fire Department on hand, running the show, keeping spectators safe, and ready to pounce in the event of an issue, residents are invited to grab a chair and enjoy the spectacle. Fireworks will begin at 11:15 pm, following the end of Captain Tractor’s set.