With a sunny forecast in store for July 1, there will be no shortage of people enjoying some of the public Canada Day festivities in our area. Here are some of the highlights:

  • Downtown Kitchener’s Canada Day concert is headlined by Hollerado, Fefe Dobson and Treble Charger. Music begins at 4 p.m., with a beer garden and various vendors on hand. Fireworks will be set off from the roof of Kitchener City Hall at 10:30 p.m.
  • The Waterloo Region Museum is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., with free admission, musical entertainment, croquet and horseshoes.
  • The University of Waterloo’s family-friendly Canada Day activities at Columbia Lake get underway at 4 p.m. The day features entertainment and activities for kids, a food fair and beer garden, and a concert featuring Kim Mitchell. The night wraps up with fireworks at 10 p.m.
  • Cambridge’s annual Canada Day parade starts at 1 p.m. at King and Bishop streets, running down King to Eagle Street. Fireworks will be set off at dusk, while a number of children’s activities run through the afternoon at Riverside Park.
  • Canada Day festivities in Guelph take place at Riverside Park, starting at 11 a.m. with family activities and a food court. The Royal City Big Band performs an evening concert at 7:30 p.m., followed by fireworks around 10 p.m.
  • McCrae House also offers its annual Canada Day programming, with displays, demonstrations, crafts, music and poetry readings running from noon until 4 p.m.
  • In Erin, festivities run between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. at McMillan Park on Main Street. A beer garden and free children’s activities are among the highlights.
  • Festivities in Elora include a downtown pancake breakfast at 8 a.m., as well as an artisan sale and other events at the Elora Legion. Other downtown activities include a soapbox derby and the Rotary Duck Race, with fireworks capping off the night.
  • Entertainment and fireworks are also on offer at the Centre Wellington Community Sportsplex in Fergus, running from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
  • Canada Day events in Stratford run from noon to 4 p.m., with entertainment and food at Market Square. A parade through the downtown begins at 7 p.m., with fireworks to follow at the Stratford Education and Recreation Centre.
  • Down the highway, a parade and picnic get underway at Lions Park in Mitchell, running from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
  • The St. Marys Museum hosts that town’s Canada Day festivities in Cadzow Park, featuring family activities, food vendors, a cake and free swimming after 1 p.m.
  • A full day of festivities at Lions Park in Brantford gets underway at 10 a.m. with a citizenship ceremony. Free activities for kids start an hour later continue all day long, as does a musical stage headlined by Alan Frew of Glass Tiger. Fireworks cap off the night at 10 p.m.