Celebrate Canada Day at the Capital’s official sites
[Source: press release]
Canada’s Capital Region ─ With one month to go until Canada’s 144th birthday, the National Capital Commission (NCC) is pleased to announce celebration details for two of the three official sites for Canada Day festivities in the Capital: Major’s Hill Park in Ottawa, and Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau. Celebration plans for the iconic heart of the party, Parliament Hill, with Their Royal Highnesses, Prince William and Catherine, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, will be shared soon.
The 2011 Canada Day activities will celebrate the Centennial of Parks Canada, the oldest national parks service in the world, the 120th anniversary of the Canadian invention of basketball and the 150th anniversary of the birth of its inventor, Dr. James Naismith, the 60th anniversary of the founding of the National Ballet of Canada, and will highlight three of Canada’s Cultural Capitals for 2011, the City of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the City of Lévis, Québec, and the City of Vancouver, British Columbia. The day will culminate in a breathtaking fireworks display.
“Canada’s Capital is an inspiring reflection of the people, values and achievements of this country, and no day is that more evident than on Canada Day,” said Marie Lemay, Chief Executive Officer of the NCC. “On July 1, the Capital will undoubtedly be the ideal place to have a memorable, Canadian experience.”
Major’s Hill Park: Celebrating Canadian Diversity!
Canada Day at Major’s Hill Park will include a variety of shows, workshops and interactive activities that will feature cross-cultural programming focussed on dance and music.
In the Urban Zone, the invention of basketball will be highlighted with acrobatic performances by Slam Dunk, wheelchair basketball demonstrations by Canadian Paralympic athletes and other participatory activities. Visitors can also discover an exhibition on the inventor of basketball, Dr. James Naismith.
To mark the 60th anniversary of the National Ballet of Canada, visitors will be invited to participate in the creation of three new tutus for the project “60 Tutus, 60 Years”. A photo exhibition on the 60th anniversary of the National Ballet of Canada and ballet classes will also commemorate this important anniversary.
Visitors are invited to show their patriotism and pride by renewing their oath of citizenship during the Great Canadian Oath (Reaffirmation Ceremony).
The public will also have the opportunity to explore the Avenue of the 2011 Cultural Capitals of Canada. Artists from Vancouver, British Columbia, Lévis, Québec, and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island will create spectacular murals and collaborative artistic pieces designed with recycled materials.
In the evening, colourful artistic performances combining music and dance from around the world are on the program for a show featuring, among others, A-slam (British Columbia), Rise Ashen (Ontario) and Misteur Valaire (Québec), winner of Show of the Year award by the Gala alternatif de la musique indépendante du Québec.
Jacques-Cartier Park: Creativity at Work!
At Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau, young and old alike can enjoy enriching experiences and fun through the theme of creativity and curiosity while exploring sounds, shapes and colors.
On the program: Exploring folk and world music, percussion, and hip-hop on the AcoustiQ Stage; the CBC Songwriter Circle featuring artists who participated in the National Parks Project for Parks Canada’s Centennial on the ElectriQ Stage; and the International Village where visitors can explore music and visual arts in many forms inside Mongolian yurts and a traditional teepee.
In the evening, visitors can explore the national parks and historic sites of Canada during a multimedia presentation of the National Parks Project, featuring artists from across the country. They can also dance under the stars to the music of DJ Adam Shaikh.
Ottawa Jazz Festival in Confederation Park
With the participation of the NCC, the Ottawa Jazz Festival will present free performances in Confederation Park on Canada Day. In addition, for a fifth consecutive year the NCC and the Ottawa Jazz Festival are joining together to give young Canadian jazz musicians an unforgettable experience in our country’s capital: the Jazz Youth Summit.
President’s Choice® Canada Day Fireworks Display
For many visitors, the culmination of Canada Day is the President’s Choice® Canada Day fireworks display. The best spots to see the display include Jacques-Cartier Park and the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Gatineau, Major’s Hill Park in Ottawa, Victoria Island, and the banks of the Ottawa River. The dazzling show will light up the sky above the Ottawa River at approximately 10 pm.
Building a greener capital
The Canada Day celebrations in the Capital will be carbon neutral for a second consecutive year. To achieve this, a series of green initiatives have been implemented to reduce the carbon footprint of Canada Day, including setting up water stations at all the official sites to encourage visitors to bring their reusable water bottles. In 2010, the water stations filled the equivalent of 32,000 plastic water bottles.
For more information on Canada Day celebrations in the National Capital Region and on access to the sites for persons with limited mobility, members of the public may contact the NCC at 613-239 5000, 1-800-465 1867, 613-239 5090 (TTY), or 1-866-661-3530 (TTY, toll-free). You can also visit the www.canadaday.gc.ca website or go to the Capital Infocentre at 90 Wellington Street in Ottawa. Canada Day is also on FACEBOOK and Twitter.
The NCC is proud to organize Canada Day in Canada’s Capital Region with support from Canadian Heritage and its national sponsor, the Chicken Farmers of Canada, its official sponsor ─ President’s Choice®, and its other sponsors, as well as it’s more than 500 volunteers.
The NCC also wishes to thank the following partners: Parks Canada, the Ottawa Jazz Festival Inc., the National Ballet of Canada, University of Windsor law students for The Charter Project, the Dr. James Naismith Basketball Foundation and the Mill of Kintail, Citizenship and Immigration Canada, the Canadian Paralympic Committee, the House of Commons, National Defence, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canadian Heritage, OC Transpo, the Cultural Capitals of Canada Program (Canadian Heritage), CBC / Radio-Canada, the Ottawa Police Service, the Services de police de la Ville de Gatineau, the Société de transport de l’Outaouais, Public Works and Government Services Canada, the City of Ottawa, and the Ville de Gatineau.