UPDATE: To see 2016 Canada Day events click here.
Municipal Offices Closed July 1, 2010
Transit Will Run On Sunday Service
Kingston’s July 1 Canada Day celebrations are scheduled for Confederation Park and Grass Creek Park. (A list of holiday and road closures follows below).
Here’s what is going on:
Red & White People Parade and Re-opening of Princess Street: Anyone wearing Canadian red and white is welcome to join this parade which departs from the Metro parking lot (at Barrie and Princess Streets) at 11:30 a.m. and runs down Princess Street toward City Hall.
Re-opening of lower Princess Street: Town Crier Chris Whyman will lead the Red & White People Parade down to officially re-open the newly reconstructed lower Princess Street. The re-opening is on-time and on-budget thanks to successful teamwork by Len Corcoran Excavating, City and Utilities Kingston staff, downtown merchants, Downtown Kingston!, council and Mayor Harvey Rosen who will be on hand to mark the occasion. Finishing touches to the project will continue into July.
Confederation Park
Registration for the Limestone Mile races begins at 7:45 a.m. with races starting at 8:30 a.m.
At 12 p.m. on the steps of City Hall Mayor Harvey Rosen will preside over a civic ceremony to mark Canada Day and will congratulate the winners of the First Capital Awards – the family of Distinguished Citizen, the late Glenn “G” Williams, will be on hand, as will Honourable Achievement winners Arthur Milnes and James Low – and the Mayor’s Award for Youth Volunteerism winners Harley Sardinha, Lindley Kenny, Darry Malka Kyakimwa and Judy Kim.
At 1 p.m. head over to Crawford Warf (at the foot of Brock Street) for the Mayor’s Sailpast. Watch as watercraft from the area sail by the dock with both vessel and crew dressed up in their Canada Day finest.
Downtown Kingston! will offer live entertainment at Confederation Park including:
- 12:30 p.m. – Borus Harp
- 2 p.m. – Trevor Walsh Group
- 3:30 p.m. – The Torres Project
- 5 p.m. – Jamie Flegg Band
- 6:30 p.m. – Sugar Plum
- 7:40 p.m. – Cherry Chapstick
- 9 p.m. – Everlea
See www.downtownkingston.ca for more Downtown Kingston! Canada Day details.
Fireworks start at 10 p.m. Confederation Basin will offer the best view of the show.
Plan to get there by bus: www.cityofkingston.ca/tripplanner/
Grass Creek Park(2991 Highway 2 East, 16 km from Fort Henry)
Grass Creek Park will offer bouncy castles, pony rides, wagon rides, balloon-twisting, face-painting, crafts, mini-golf and lots of other fun for kids until about 7 p.m. (bouncy castles and mini-golf run until 9 p.m.). There will also be a concession stand and cotton candy.
Grass Creek Park’s Main Stage entertainment begins at 1 p.m. with Emcee comedian and musician Roger James. Appearing on the Main Stage will be:
- 1:15 p.m. to 1:45 p.m. – Juno award-nominee and children’s musician Chris McKhool
- 1:45 p.m. to 2:05 p.m. – Kingston Irish Folk Club
- 2:05 p.m. to 2:50 p.m. – Rob Driscoll’s Wild and Wacky Magic Show
- 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Chris McKhool
- 4 p.m. to 4:45 p.m. – The Gertrudes
- 5:15 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Sunshine Soul
- 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. – Canada Day Ceremony – and cutting of the six foot cake
- 6:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. – Like a Lion (formerly Fault Line Drive)
- 7:45 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. – Wascal Bratts
- 8:45 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. – Dr. Kaboom’s Fire Show
- 9:15 p.m. to 10 p.m. – Wascal Bratts
Entertainment also runs on the lower small stage with a Marionette show from 3:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. and the Barefoot Players at 4:05 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.
The Grass Creek Park Fireworks start as 10 p.m. sharp. Bring a flashlight to help navigate through the park after dark. Please note that preparations for the fireworks display will limit access to the beach.
Located at the entrance to Grass Creek Park, the MacLachlan Woodworking Museum is offering free admission and 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. Thousand-Island Playhouse Young Company-performances of “The Adventures of Toad” based on the Wind in the Willows character. You can also enjoy making crafts in the Log House throughout the day – and local strawberries form Fruition Farms. Call 613-542-0543 for more information.
Holiday Closures
Administrative Offices: All administrative offices, including social services, provincial offences and Utilities Kingston are closed. In the event of a utility emergency, such as a gas smell or a water main break, call Utilities Kingston (24-hours) at 613-546-1181.
Kingston Transit: runs on a holiday service (modified Sunday service). Plan your Canada Day trips at www.cityofkingston.ca/tripplanner/.
Garbage, Green Bin and recycling: No collection on Thursday, July 1. Thursday’s collection moves to Friday and Friday’s collection moves to Saturday.
Kingston Area Recycling Centre: Closed.
Kingston East Landfill: Closed.
Artillery Park Aquatic & Fitness Centre: Closed.
Portsmouth Olympic Harbour: Closed.
Grand Theatre Box Office: Closed
Wading Pools: McBurney and Victoria Park wading pools open on July 1.
Arenas: Closed. The Fitness & Wellness Centre at the INVISTA Centre is also closed.
Libraries: All branches of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library will be closed.
ROAD CLOSURES
The following road closures will accommodate downtown celebrations including the Limestone Mile Road Race and the Civic Ceremony.
- Ontario Street will be closed from Brock Street to Market Street from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Ontario Street will be closed from Earl Street to Brock Street from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- King Street will be closed from Brock Street to Earl Street from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Clarence Street will be closed from Ontario Street to Wellington Street from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Kingston Transit will be making minor detours as a result of these road closures. Those heading to Confederation Park should use the main downtown transfer point at Brock and Bagot Streets.
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Photo: Jawaad Mahmood
