Waterloo Region throws perfect party for Canada
Fireworks make the big day a blast (but Mother Nature didn’t help)
WATERLOO REGION — Oh Canada, can you ever throw a party!
From Waterloo to Cambridge, New Hamburg to Ayr, thousands of people took in parades, festivals and backyard barbecues across Waterloo Region as Canada celebrated its 150th birthday Saturday.
Mother Nature chipped in with some midday fireworks of her own, sending revellers scrambling as a line of thunderstorms swept through around 2 p.m. Undaunted, organizers in New Hamburg took their opening ceremonies indoors, into the community centre.
But by late afternoon, the storms had moved off to the east, setting the stage for everything from a unique world record attempt in Wilmot
Township to fireworks displays that lit up nighttime skies throughout the area.
The largest crowds descended on the University of Waterloo, where about 60,000 people were expected to take in multicultural performances, family-friendly activities and a concert starring Canadian rocker Tom Cochrane with Red Rider.
The crowds spilling across soggy Columbia Lake fields were like a microcosm of Canada itself, with international students and visitors to the region mingling with residents who’ve always called this country home.
Up on the hill near Columbia Street, Maggie Liu and Winnie Miao had staked out prime spots for a fireworks display that wouldn’t begin for several more hours.
No matter. The friends, from China — Liu is a UW graduate and Miao is a master’s student there — said it’s become a Canada Day tradition.
“It’s kind of cool to experience a whole different culture,” Miao said, adding celebrations such as this provide an opportunity to learn more about Canada.
A few metres away, Raymond and Liz Ramshaw were sitting under a red umbrella — fortunately just unfurled to shade against the afternoon sun.
Originally from England, they’ve called Waterloo Region home for about 50 years.
“The older we get, the more we realize we’ve been here longer than we’ve been in England,” Liz said.
Down on the field, Montreal residents Liz and Gordon Aucoin were waiting while two of their grandchildren, who live in Waterloo, were getting their faces painted.
“It’s pretty special, I have to say, to be part of this event,” Liz said.
“This is great,” added Gordon. “I’ve been to many in Montreal, but I’ve never seen such large attendance and activities. It’s very multicultural, very Canadian.”
Late afternoon visitors were treated to performances on the special Canada 150 cultural stage, music by children’s performers Bobs & LoLo, and a flypast by a pair of vintage jets from Waterloo Warbirds.
“We knew on July 2 last year that this was going to be a really special year,” said Kelly McManus, UW’s senior director of community relations and events. “We know how much pride this community has, not just for Canada, but for the university.”
Canada Day celebrations have taken place at the university for 33 years; this year’s version marked not only Canada’s sesquicentennial, but also UW’s 60th anniversary and the Federation of Students’ 50th.
There was no shortage of Canada Day options for people around the region, from a country music concert by the James Barker Band in downtown Kitchener to a parade, carnival and live entertainment at Riverside Park in Preston. Many of the region’s cultural and heritage sites also featured special programming.
In New Hamburg, organizers are optimistic that they’ve claimed a Guinness world record title for the most people in one place wearing paper crowns.
While the final numbers still have to be crunched, and paperwork and photos submitted and verified, organizers believe more than 2,000 people decked out in red paper crowns gathered on a baseball diamond Saturday evening in an effort to set a record. The current record is 1,324 people, set in India in 2014.
“It was just amazing to look out through the gates of Diamond 1,” said Angie Hallman of the Wilmot Canada 150 organizing committee. “It was a moment where Canadian spirit was at a high in our region.”
Waterloo Regional Police said people generally seemed to be in good spirits across the area, with no major incidents reported at any of the Canada Day events.
At the University of Waterloo, McManus said she was touched when she asked visitors to indicate where they were from. There were people born in Canada, from coast to coast, and just as many, it seemed, that were born in other countries.
“There’s so much diversity and multiculturalism,” she said.
“It’s a chance to come together as a community, and to celebrate what it means to be Canadian.”