City says Canada Day festivities will be virtual this summer; plans in place for in-person event in 2022

Photo: Castanet Staff

This year’s Canada Day festivities in Kamloops will be virtual, with a focus on Canada’s First Nations and their culture and history.

“We are excited to be able to bring a virtual Canada Day event to the residents of Kamloops,” Dewi Evans, the city’s community events coordinator, said in a news release.

“We have been working with Tk’emlups te Secwepenc to include important remarks, information and cultural elements. We are most grateful to our community partners who have contributed to our programming, especially TteS who have so many important responsibilities at this time.”

Canada Day festivities will take place online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as they did in 2020. Kamloops’ Canada Day party is typically held in Riverside Park, and the festivities attract 10s of thousands of attendees each year.

Plans include a lineup of musical acts, artists, interactive activities and presentations on Indigenous culture and history.

“Last year, we dipped our toe in the virtual world with strong support, and we plan to once again entertain and provide learning opportunities for residents from the comfort of their own homes,” Evans said.

“We hope the virtual event will bring a sense of community togetherness and national unity, just as our annual event in the park would.”

Evans said the city plans to be back in Riverside Park in person to celebrate Canada Day 2022.

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