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Always a ripper Oz party

Australia Day celebrated in Oz capital of Canada morning, noon and night

By Nicole Fitzgerald

What: Australia Day

When: Friday, Jan. 26

Where: Whistler Village

So are you a dinkum Aussie, a flaming galar or do you just have kangaroos loose in the top paddock? Well most likely you will be all of these after downing 80 per cent of Canada’s import stock of Victoria Bitter, all sold on one day from one Whistler patio.

So it’s time to pull out the Barbie.

No not the blond, blue eyed plastic kind, although life size ones are sure to be in attendance as Whistler erupts into green and gold for Australia Day Friday, Jan. 26.

“It’s about getting really obnoxiously drunk,” said Steve Jackman of the Longhorn Saloon. “It’s a big Canada Day except it’s not about hockey. It’s all about kangaroos and booze. It’s a national holiday that is a hell of a lot of fun.”

Some blokes and Sheilas fill up even before they’ve started lining up for Whistler’s biggest Aussie party at the Longhorn Saloon. The lineup weaves all the way down to the Citta’ patio before the village clock has even struck 7:30 a.m.

The Longhorn opens for business at 9 a.m. with everything Aussie, including Victoria Bitter, meat pies and Australian sing-a-longs.

We Come From the Land Down Under and Waltzing Matilda anthems will sing in the day.

Last year’s Longhorn party set a record for throwing out a rotten reveler only 30 minutes after opening.

And while Australia Day is all about hanging out in thongs — the flip flop kind — in someone’s backyard, partiers should opt for something a little warmer. This year the Longhorn won’t be tenting the patio.

Five different DJs will be on deck for the all-day-and-night party with DJs Toddski, Sadistik, Phd, Junyamint and Mixmaster Fab. Tinny and tucker will be available all day.

The Longhorn also operates on Australian time, hosting a live airing of Triple Js hottest 100 countdown the night before on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 5 p.m. at the local saloon.

The party is always a bloody beaut, so get there early or be left in the cold.

Moe Joe’s will also be celebrating the national holiday with a Mad-Max-theme party starting at 2 p.m. Best costume wins $300. Tommy Africa’s hosts a wet T-shirt contest for its 10 th annual Aussie Day celebration. “Miss Australia” will be crowned with a $400 cash prize. Acoustics and Aussie burgers pay tribute at Black’s Pub. Four’N Twenty Pies also delivers Aussie meat pies for $2.50 for Friday only.

A day of kangaroos and obnoxious amounts of alcohol will commemorate the founding of the first white settlement in Australia in 1788, so don’t forget to get flagged out.