(Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds)

By Dylana Kneeshaw

CANADA DAY 2020

Smaller scale event schedule for 2020 Canada Day in Kamloops

Jun 29, 2020 | 4:17 PM

KAMLOOPS — There won’t be the food tents, artistry market or performances keeping Riverside Park full this Canada Day, but some form of celebration will take place.

“It’s going to be a different one to the one we’re used to for sure. So we’re going virtual this year,” explains City Community Events Coordinator Dewi Evans.

The free, online stream will feature performances from Kamloops PRIDE, the Kamloops Buskers Festival, the Big Little Science Centre and others.

It’s a difficult financial time for many, but Evans assures that the cost of the online event is extremely low for the City.

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“The City of Kamloops and Kamloops Arts Council have been working on this together, and it’s been funded by the federal government, and a sponsorship from New Gold (New Afton) mine.”

Come July 1, Riverside Park will look noticeably different than in year’s past. Every year, about 20,000 to 30,000 people make their way to the park for Canada Day festivities. Due to organizers not wanting to encourage gatherings, Evans confirms there will be no fireworks display lighting up the sky this year in Kamloops.

In a recent media availability, Mayor Ken Christian spoke to the impact the pandemic has had on any sort of public gathering.

“I think about Canada Day, I really think about Music in the Park. I think about the graduations — this week was TRU’s but also the high schools, I think about all the issues related to birthday celebrations, anniversaries, weddings, all those kinds of things,” he says. “It’s a new normal for people and we have to just kind of get through this.”

CFJC Today spoke with several Kamloops residents this afternoon, and heard that many still plan to create their own version of Canada Day from home.

“We’ll hang out and we’ll have all of our regular Canada Day food, and all the stuff we like to do,” explained one woman. “We’ve got temporary tattoos and flags and lights for the kids. We’ll just make the best of it and hang out and do it with family.”

Others who don’t come to the park for Canada Day events told CFJC Today there was no change to their routine this year.

Another man noted it was hard to not be a little disappointed with the cancellation of the traditional event.

“It’d be nice to have fireworks and celebrations, but unfortunately, we’ve got to be safe.”

The City says live streaming will begin at 11:00 a.m. for residents to celebrate separately and Evans adds that the video will be available through their website and social media channels.

“It’s very much a variety act online. Streamed online at www.kamloops.ca/CanadaDay.”