Busy weekend, eh? How to celebrate Canada Day in Vancouver

Young attendees of Canada Together enjoy the annual celebration hosted on July 1 at Canada Place.

Get ready to don your denim this weekend as Canada celebrates its 156th birthday. Vancouver’s forecast is full of sun too, so make sure to wear some sunscreen, unless you want to be as red as the flag. There will be plenty of outdoor activities to fill your Saturday, and some quintessentially Canadian events to cap off the night.

CANADA TOGETHER

While it’s only 37 years old, the annual Canada Together event in Vancouver promises to be the largest celebration of its kind outside of the country’s capital on July 1. “Weaving together the fabric of a nation,” is the theme of Saturday’s shindig, which kicks off at Canada Place at 11 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m.

Representatives from the Musqueum, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh nations collaborated with the Port of Vancouver and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority to plan the event.

“From programming to the name and theme itself, the details of the day were carefully considered to create a welcoming experience for all people who live in this country,” the event listing explains.

Tegan and Sara, The Fugitives, Spakwus Slolem, Pat Chessell, Murray Porter, and Tsleil-Waututh Warriors are among the lineup of performances, but the entertainment will not include fireworks this year.

More than 200,000 attendees are expected at the event, including 30 people who will become new citizens during a special ceremony hosted by Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada at 9:30 a.m.

There will be plenty of activities for younger Canadians in the Kids’ Zone, and food trucks will be on site to keep the whole family fueled.

A breakdown of the itinerary is available here.

ENJOY A FREE FERRY BALLET

For a water-side performance that may be a bit quieter, head to the False Creek seawall on Saturday morning. That’s where a “ferry ballet” will be taking place from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. You can catch the False Creek Ferry skippers performing a choreographed boat show from the seawall.

“Figure eights, crossovers and starbursts are only a sample of the crews’ acrobatic repertoire,” the event description reads.

SHOP AT OUTDOOR MARKETS

There will be a couple of markets to check out on Saturday as well, including the weekly farmers market at Trout Lake in East Vancouver, which runs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunset Community Centre at 6810 Main St. will be hosting a https://mysunset.net/canada-day-event/Canada Day Craft Fair, on top of other festivities, from noon to 4 p.m.

Farther west, in Kitsilano, Pacific Arts Market is hosting a pop-up craft fair at the neighbourhood’s beloved showboat. That event will be happening from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at 2300 Cornwall Ave.

“Get ready for an exciting, fun-filled, and energetic experience that will leave you feeling entertained and inspired,” organizers wrote online.

Both craft fairs are free to attend.

GET JAZZY AT THE KITSILANO SHOWBOAT

After the craft fair, stick around to see a performance by the South Van Big Band at the Kitsilano Showboat at 7 p.m.

Few details are provided on the event page, where interested attendees can RSVP, other than there will be “a couple of sets of big band jazz.”

PAY TRIBUTE TO CANADIAN TUNES

If jazz isn’t your favourite music, you can take in some very Canadian tunes at two separate events happening Saturday night.

The band Roadside Attraction is putting on a Tragically Hip tribute night at the Roxy in downtown Vancouver.

Doors at 932 Granville St. open at 8 p.m., and tickets cost $12 in advance and $15 at the door.

That show ends at 9:30 p.m., so you could still check out an unapologetically Canadian event happening at the Hollywood Theatre later that night.

“Get ready for Justin Bieber tracks all night long—bangers, deep cuts and old side-bangs Bieber songs that will have you singing ‘baby baby baby,’” the event page reads.

Early bird tickets are $5, while regular admission is $15.58.