Image Credit: CFJC Today / Kent Simmonds

By Silvia Senna

CANADA DAY

Canada Day celebrations in Kamloops will have its first drone show to mark the country’s 157th birthday

Jun 28, 2024 | 4:09 PM

KAMLOOPS — Canada Day celebrations in Kamloops will once again be in Riverside Park. The City of Kamloops, along with the Kamloops Multicultural Society, will host a day full of events that begin at 7 a.m. with breakfast – hosted by the Lions Club.

Monday’s events will begin with the traditional flag parade at 10:45 a.m. followed by opening ceremonies at the Rotary Bandshell. From stage performances to an international food court, the traditional Canada Day celebration in Kamloops will have something for everyone.

“It’s a family friendly event, bring your kids down. We’ll have entertainment, we’ll have bouncy castles. It’ll just be a great all day long affair,” said Ray Dhaliwal, president of the Kamloops Multicultural Society. “There’ll be something for everybody to do and you be shouldn’t be bored at all. There’s lots of activity, lots of music, lots of dancing and singing, and it’s going to be a great day for it.”

For the first time in almost 50 years, the fireworks at the end of the night will be replaced by a drone show.

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“The drones came about a few years ago because we’ve had so many people that have commented that the noise affects their dogs, veterans as well with PTSD,” Dhaliwal explained. “So we’ve been trying to find a different alternative from either color or laser. But with the fires in the last few years as well, the drones was a great alternative.”

Most of all, the event hopes to bring different cultures to celebrate the holiday together.

“Back in the day, a lot of people weren’t able to try different foods from different lands and different cultures and to see how people dress and behaved and their performances. And this event brought everybody together,” Dhaliwal said. “We are not all so different. We all love to party, we love to dance and sing. It’s just been a great, great way to bring everybody together.”