The biggest Canada Day celebration in the east end is heading back to Petrie Island this year with an action packed schedule of events and activities for the whole family, including a massive fireworks display.
Most importantly, participants will be able to combine their Canada Day festivities with a day at the beach.
This year’s event is being organized by a group of Canada Day Celebration veterans, including organizing committee chair Marc Poirier, who has volunteered for a number of other Canada Day celebrations in the past.
Other committee members include Zybina Richards, who has been helping to organize Canada Day Celebrations in Orléans for more than 25 years, going back to the original Fallingbrook Canada Day event which were held in Apollo Park, and Nick O’Connell, who has been involved with Richards since he was a youngster.
Former Cardinal Creek Community Association president Sean Crossan is also a member of the organizing committee.
The very first Petrie Island Canada Day Celebration was held in 2005. It was organized by a group of community leaders after the Fallingbrook Community Association ran out of possible locations.
Petrie Island hosted the event for the next 11 years until it was moved to the Navan Fairgrounds in 2016 for financial reasons.
Following a one-year hiatus, Kiwanis East Ottawa took over the event and brought it back to Petrie Island in 2018. It was held there again in 2019. Then it was cancelled for the next three years due to the COVID pandemic until it’s return in 2023.
News that the Canada Day Celebration is coming back to Petrie Island is music to the ears of young parents who are hesitant to bring their kids downtown.
Among the activities that will take place as part of the Petrie Island Celebration are a Kids’ Zone with bouncy castles, face painting and games; live entertainment on the main stage; the traditional cake cutting; food trucks; a beverage tent and fireworks.
The 613 Beach Tennis Club will be on hand to provide demonstrations and to offer a free clinic, while the Orléans Tennis Club will be providing a free pickleball clinic.
The Petrie Island Canoe Club has organized a war canoe competition between high schools and an Amazing Race-type event.
Headliners for the stage show, a site plan and schedule of events will soon be available at CanadaDayOrleans.ca. The Orléans Star will also publish a full schedule of events in the June 26 edition of the paper.
Last but by no means least, the event is still in need of volunteers. It’s the perfect opportunity for high school students to pick up additional volunteer hours. For more information, visit canadadayorleans.ca/volunteer.
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