South Shuswap Gears Up for Biggest Little Celebration
The parade, starting at 10:00 am will have festive floats like this one from past celebrations. (photo credit Tammy Packer)
Canada Day Committee
Each year, for more than 35 years, a small group of dedicated individuals pull together businesses and other individuals from our communities in the South Shuswap to put on ‘the biggest little celebration around’ for July 1st Canada Day Celebrations.
By October, that committed group gather once again to start to plan the Canada Day celebrations for the next year. Over the past several years we have lost many of our group due to moving, retirement and various other commitments but we are so grateful for the many new people who have joined us in our desire to make this year’s event a great family friendly event for our residents. It is also our desire to have tourists experience our great communities in the best way possible.
The first Grant application deadline is mid-November, and we don’t actually have all the responses to grant applications until August, well after the event! This does pose a problem for planning and knowing how much funding we actually have, and our goal is to once again, after covid, rebuild our contingency fund. There are so many aspects of Canada Day that many people may not realize.
Photos shared from South Shuswap Canada Day Committee
Fireworks for instance requires 3 different permit approvals for different government bodies, including Forestry and Ministry of Transportation, Federal pyrotechnics Licenses and a separate insurance policy. Additionally for the actual display timeframe, we need to arrange Traffic control, security, set-back areas, both on the land and on the water. There are 12 conditions that must be met before we are able to light any of the fireworks off. The fireworks that we use are individually loaded and ignited by our licensed shooters. The shows are choreographed and designed by our head shooter. We are able to stop our display at any time as we do individually light. If any of the conditions change or safety measures can not be met at the time of lighting, we must halt the show. After the show there are again several safety procedures that we have to follow before we are allowed to re-open the road for people and traffic.
Many may not remember when the festivities were held up at the Sorrento-Blind Bay Park and the parade ran down the Trans-Canada Hwy. Can you imagine the nightmare that would be now! Also, the fireworks were actually set off within the park itself! We have come a long way, and we are thankful for the many volunteers and visionaries who have gone before us to begin and to keep our Canada Day Celebrations going!
In keeping with the family friendly theme, the Lion’s Club Pancake Breakfast will kick the morning off, there will be kids’ games, musical entertainment, food vendors, craft, community and market venders and so much more.
As a committee we like to include as many community groups and businesses as we can. We like to empower our youth and let them have a voice on our board; we have had junior Board Members who took active roles in the planning through the year and a few of them now hold Board positions as adults. We love ideas, and we love even more when the idea comes with a person who would like to spearhead that idea. Last year, 2023, it was Chicken-Poop-Bingo! If you missed it, don’t worry, I believe it will be back this year.
Also, back again this year, is our Parade! It will be bigger than ever, especially if you, your family, your neighbourhood, your business, club, and/or organization get involved.
It was so much fun last year to see the creativity displayed in how the floats were decorated. We are hoping to once again have kids riding their bikes, getting pulled in wagons, and dancing down the streets!
Click this link to fill in an entry form for the Parade: https://form.jotform.com/241447790686065
* Please note there will be road closures for the Parade - be sure to check social media for those closures and times as well as for the Fireworks.
We are looking forward to celebrating with you. Contact us at: southshuswapcanadaday@gmail.com to let us know if you’d like to help out before, day of, field clean up after or if you have any questions.
Our Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/shuswapcanadaday/
