For Immediate Release
“KELOWNA’S CANADA DAY KEEPS THE PARTY GOING FOR 22ND YEAR”
(June 25th, 2019, Kelowna, BC) – “Celebrate Canada Day – Kelowna” is just under a week away and continues to be one of the biggest community celebrations in the Interior of B.C. The Kelowna event has become an annual tradition for our city’s residents and visitors to launch their summer by joining together with over 55,000 of their friends and neighbors of all ethnicities to celebrate Canadian pride at the 22nd annual “Celebrate Canada Day – Kelowna” festival in Waterfront Park, Prospera Place, Kerry Park, Jim Stuart Park, and various locations throughout Kelowna’s Cultural District on Monday, July 1st, 2019 from 11:00 am until 11:00 pm.
“As ever, our number one goal when planning the Kelowna Canada Day party each year is to make sure the event offers something for everyone in our community, from toddler to youth to seniors,” explains Renata Mills, Executive Director of Festivals Kelowna, producers of the annual celebration. “Our guests can look forward to seeing many of their favourite activities alongside some new ones.” Kelowna’s one day party will again include such attractions as live music on 6 outdoor stages across a wide variety of styles and genres, a return of the Central Okanagan Dog Agility Club and their furry friends showing off their obstacle course skills, more than 20 different drop-in activities and giant games in the Primera Projects Kids Zone, Canada Day SWAG courtesy of the TD bank from their booth on the Concession Plaza, the annual “Mini-Regatta” hosted by the Kelowna Model Sailboat Association, more than 25 artisan booths at the “Made in Canada Marketplace” and 17 unique vendors in the “Canada Day Bazaar” , 20 different Community Groups sharing their story about the great work they do for our city, a return of the Coast Capital Savings Fun Zone in Jim Stuart with the “Zorbs Battle”, and the perfect summer time treat, fresh, cold watermelon courtesy of our friends at Save-On Foods.
New this year will be fun interactive stations courtesy of our event partners. Telus will be holding a drop-in skipping challenge using their “smart skipping ropes” at multiple times throughout the day leading to a “skip off” from the “Telus Street Stage” on Water Street, while Kelowna NOW, 99.9 SUN FM / 101.5 EZ Rock, Castanet, and Global Okanagan will feature games, prize wheels, and more from their booths on the Rhapsody Plaza near the Dolphins fountain. Also new this year, guests needing a quick ride home from the festivities can hail a Kelowna Cab using the new app or onsite from the booth using their new “Cab Butler”.
Continuing in their 46th year are the wonderful festivities presented by one of the longest running Canada Day celebrations in Kelowna, the annual “Folkfest”. Produced entirely by incredible volunteers from our community, people will enjoy 5 hours of live multicultural performances and ethnic food from a variety of local cultural groups from 10:00 am to 3:30pm at Prospera Place. The official ceremonies and the ever popular giant “Happy Birthday Canada” cake courtesy of Coldwell Banker Horizon Realty will be held in Prospera Place at 12:30 pm. A detailed schedule of multicultural performances is available in the media package and on the “Celebrate Canada Day – Kelowna” schedule of events.
As ever, music plays an important role in the day’s festivities with six outdoor stages of live performances including the “Parks Alive! Power Stage presented by Power 104 FM”, the “TD Beach Stage presented by K96.3 FM” featuring some of B.C.’s coolest acts, the “Kiwanis Kid’s Stage presented by New Country 100.7”, the “Telus Street Stage”, “The Kelowna Arts Council Stage” in Kerry Park, and the “Youth Stage presented by 99.9 Sun FM” in Jim Stuart Park. Returning for a third year is the Kelowna City Concert Band presenting a live concert in Prospera Place from 7:30 to 9:30 pm, featuring 5 special guest artists from the Okanagan. Complete artist line-ups, stage times and locations are available in the media kit and online at http://www.FestivalsKelowna.com.
Additional Canada Day themed activities in nearby Cultural District venues include the third year of the “Blanket Exercise” hosted by the Ki-low-na Friendship Society in the Arts Common beside the Rotary Centre for the Arts. Running from 12:30 to 3:00 pm, this is a unique interactive presentation and discussion around the colonization of Canada and its impact on First Nations people. Next door, the Kelowna Art Gallery will again present a variety of drop-in Canadiana themed craft activities on the grounds outside the gallery on Water Street from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Wrapping up the Kelowna Canada Day celebrations are much anticipated “Century 21 Assurance Realty Canada Day Fireworks presented by Tolko and the City of Kelowna” shot over Tugboat Bay at 10:30 pm. Guests should again look for Century 21 Realtors at entrances to Waterfront Park from 7:00 to 9:00 pm as they give away free treats to ensure you enjoy the fireworks on Canada Day.
Celebrate Canada Day – Kelowna festival is free to attend, however donations are welcome and help support the costs of presenting this community celebration. Volunteers with donation buckets will be located at all entrances to Prospera Place and Waterfront Park, at the stages, and all festival information booths. NEW this year will be the option to “TAP to DONATE” using your debit or credit cards to make a donation via SQUARE. As guests enter the park they should look for the volunteer using a SQUARE reader at each of the Info Booths to quickly and easily support this free celebration with a $2 or $5 donation.
A complete schedule of activities with times and locations can be found online at www.festivalskelowna.com by following the link to the Canada Day page, as well as onsite from any of the three Info Booths in Waterfront Park on July 1st.
Celebrate Canada Day – Kelowna is an annual, free, community festival produced in partnership by Festivals Kelowna, the FolkFest society, and the Kelowna City Band society. The festival is held in Kelowna’s Cultural District at Prospera Place, Stuart Park, Kerry Park, and Waterfront Park for residents and visitors to celebrate our nation’s birthday.
For more information:
Renata Mills
Executive Director, Festivals Kelowna
cell: 250-878-9774
www.instragram.com/festivalskelowna www.facebook.com/parksalive
@ParksAlive www.facebook.com/FestivalsKelowna
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