SUNDRE – Residents can anticipate the traditional array of family-friendly Canada Day activities being held at the local museum’s historic village grounds on July 1.
Gates will open at 10 a.m. at no cost of admission with the official flag raising ceremony set to start at 11 a.m. followed by the free council barbecue along with cupcakes and then a Canada Day cake cutting at 1 p.m.
Musician Tim Hus and his band will be on the stage at the pioneer village grounds from about noon to 2 p.m.
Later in the day across the street from the Sundre & District Museum over at the Elks Lodge No. 338’s hall, the Greenwood Neighbourhood Place Society has from 1-3 p.m. lined up arrangements for an inaugural activity called the Great Sundre Puzzlepalooza that will see teams of up to four compete against time to complete the same puzzle, or come as close to finishing it as possible.
The society’s executive director Donny Krahn said the contest is fully registered but nevertheless invites people to come out to cheer on the teams as they race to put the puzzle pieces together in this first-ever event.
Winding up the annual celebrations is the fireworks display at the Sundre Rodeo Grounds, which pending weather conditions and fire restrictions is anticipated to start around dusk.
The community’s Canada Day celebrations are the collaborative result of a multi-organization partnership among the municipality, the Sundre & District Chamber of Commerce, the Sundre & District Historical Society, as well as GNP.
Financial support from a federal funding grant program also contributes to three events at the museum, said Carrie Couch, executive director.
The first is Indigenous Peoples Day, which was observed on June 21, followed by Multicultural Day, which is coming up on June 27, and then of course Canada Day celebrations on July 1 when the museum works alongside the municipality, said Couch.
“We love hosting the town barbecue and entertainment here at the museum on the first of July,” she said by email in response to questions, later adding the historical pioneer village provides an essentially ideal venue to host the formal flag raising ceremony that opens up the community’s Canada Day celebrations.
“It is such a great community turn-out and we are excited to share our spaces on this important day!”
