What: Canada Day Parade and Activities
When: July 1, 2 p.m.
Where: Whistler Village
This year’s Canada Day parade has some new twists, a new direction, and a renewed emphasis on fun and participation.
"It’s a chance for a celebration, to step back and take stock of being Canadian," says Maureen Douglas of Mo Ideas, the company overseeing the annual parade and party.
Decorating of floats will take place in day skier lot 4 this year, between 11: 30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. There will be live music to accompany the decorating.
"Every Canada Day is a blast, for the companies that can muster up the time to get a float in place," says Ollie Kearns, events assistant at Mo Ideas.
New this year is the Pique Pedal Parade, open to anyone who has a bike and wants to be in the parade. There will be prizes for the best decorated bikes.
The parade itself gets underway at 2 p.m., heading south from lot 4 along Blackcomb Way to Sundial Crescent. The parade then ducks into the village between the Clocktower and the Westbrook Whistler Hotel. From here the route is reversed from previous years, flowing through Village Square, over the Ted Nebbeling Bridge to Town Plaza and winding up in front of the 2010 Olympic bid information office about 2:45 p.m.
O, Canada will be sung, followed by a brief speech from Mayor Hugh O’Reilly. Then, from 3 to 5 p.m., there will be trampolines available for children and street entertainers for all. Cirque Alexander and Cowgirl Tricks are the scheduled entertainers.
Guitarist and singer Gord Rutherford will also performs rock ’n’ roll and folk rock classics, alongside Brian Lyster.
The Canada Day parade is presented by the Whistler Chamber of Commerce with a grant from the Resort Municipality of Whistler.
