Tillsonburg gears up for Canada Day
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There will be plenty to do this Canada Day in Tillsonburg.
“It’s a journey around the town from one event to another throughout the day,” said Dianne Clark, organizer of the Festival of Music and member of the local Canada Day committee.
The day begins early at Station Arts Centre with a pancake breakfast between 8–11 a.m. and includes a children’s area for activities as well, followed by a ceremony at the cenotaph downtown put on by the local Legion at 11 a.m. Also included that day is a decorating bicycle contest, hosted by the Tillsonbrg Kinette Club - bikes are scheduled to travel from the pancake breakfast to the cenotaph and then over to Annandale National Historic Site where they will have an open house from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., activities, and Canada Day cake as well.
Both kids and families are encouraged to continue the day and bike over to Lake Lisgar where small boaters will have a demonstration with boats on the lake.
Starting in the early afternoon at 1 p.m. is the annual Festival of Music at Memorial Park in Tillsonburg.
“We’re in our 11th year this year. We have three different spots where music is going to be going on. We have our main stage which has all the bigger acts in it – we start out that day with First Nations and opening ceremonies at 1 p.m.”
Each year, noted Clark, hundreds of people have come out to enjoy a busy July 1st full of fun, food, entertainment and music.
“We have the White Pine Dancers, which is a troupe of native dancers and they come from all over Ontario. They’re bringing with them what is called a blue cloud drum - a big drum that men sit around and they’ll be in full regalia singing and dancing.”
Every year there is a theme for the Festival of Music based around one type of music for the day. Last year’s theme was gospel.
“This year because of our sponsors for the stage we didn’t quite get one theme so we have a wide variety. We have some jazz and blues, we have some good old rock n’roll and we have some country.
“We’re calling our other area of performance the Young Canada Performance Stage. It’s not necessarily that anybody who’s going to be performing in this stage area is young, but may be young at heart. But we do have a wide selection of entertainers who are going to be performing who are all under the age of 25 from the Tillsonburg and local area.”
One new aspect to the festival is taking place in the Crystal Palace, something that might appeal to those a bit shy about performing in public, or who may simply wish to sit back and jam out some tunes.
“The third area is called an open acoustic jam. We have a lot of people who play but don’t necessarily want to get up on a stage and perform, but they’re more willing to sit around in a circle, play their guitars, jam and sing. So that’s what we’re doing – they could be amateurs, just wanting to come out, bring their instruments and enjoy themselves.”
In addition to the music, there will be demonstrations in Memorial Park on Canada Day as well.
“That’s going to be Martial Arts Canada – they always put on a wonderful show for us. We also have vendors, artisans and crafters and food. This year we have some Mexican food that’s going to be served, we have pizza, and the Fair Board is going to be opening up their food booth as well.”
The Canada Day celebrations finish at 10 p.m. with fireworks in Memorial Park.
“Come out, bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the day,” Clark concluded.
For more information call (519) 842-7473 or visit www.tillsonburgfestivalofmusic.ca.