Celebrating Canada Day in Burlington was the ‘Best Day Ever’.

By Guida Feliz

July 2, 2015

BURLINGTON, ON

This year I decided to celebrate Canada Day in Burlington. On my way to the city I drove through downtown Oakville and was surprised that there were no visible Canada Day celebrations.

The patios were packed and some people walking about but no celebrations. Did I miss it? As I got closer to Bronte Road there were a lot more people and they even had a band playing. But, it wasn’t until I arrived in Burlington that I felt the excitement. This was the ‘real deal’.

Museum staff set out the bunting and get the grounds of the Joseph Brant Museum ready for the Canada Day crowds.

There were signs set up along Lakeshore Road instructing people to take a shuttle bus to the park. There were people everywhere in droves at Spencer Smith Park. It was clear to me “Burlington went all out to celebrate Canada Day!”

The sights and sounds were magnificent and everywhere you could see people proudly holding Canadian flags and wearing red and white. The children wore large smiles, Canada Day stickers on their arms and painted faces.

They happily lined up at the bouncy castles, slides, trampoline and ice cream truck.

Stage is readied for the forty people who were sworn in as Canadian citizens on Canada Day

Forty new Canadians were sworn in at a special citizenship court set up on a stage with two Mounties giving the event a ceremonial touch.

Dishing out the strawberries and ice cream were, from the left Councillor Rick Craven; MPP Eleanor McMahon, unknown lady and Councillor Paul Sharman. The Strawberry Social first took place in the 1800’s – it was part of the summer social season when Burlington was a farming community.

The Brant Museum held their annual Strawberry Social. Of course if you were a lover of Strawberries; you lined up and waited patiently for ‘fresh strawberries and ice cream.’

A Canadian father and his son – showing off the colours.

Parents walked along the boardwalk pushing strollers and pulling leashes showing off their pooches in our Nation’s colours. As I stood at the most westerly end of Spencer Smith park I could see droves of people. Some strolling and others stopping to check out the many booths that lined up all the way from the Brant Street entrance.

The music, festivities and fun filled activities really brought the Burlington community together. There was a lot of good energy, conversations and smiles between strangers.

Burlington Teen Tour Band member keeping her flag in place, looking like a Buckingham Palace Guard with a stern face.

The Burlington Teen Tour Band paraded around the Brant Museum site – one wonders what Joseph Brant would have thought of all those people in military uniforms.

The evening closed with weather still holding and a spectacular fire works display.

Celebrating Canada Day in Burlington was the ‘Best Day Ever’. The weather was hot and sunny with a very light breeze enough to sway the trees. There was laughter in the air and proud Canadians everywhere.

And today we return to our tasks, proud that we live in a city that is blessed with wonderful geography and that we are tolerant, understanding and fair to each other. These are all things that were worth celebrating on this our 148th year as a confederation.