Canada is a very welcoming country with many beautiful places to call home. On July 1st of every year, many Canadians celebrate this amazing country with a celebration known as Canada Day! Canada Day is a Statutory Holiday in Canada where all people within Canada come together to celebrate. You may see a lot of red and white, red maple leaves, and Canadian flags roaming around. But what is Canada Day, and why do we celebrate it this way? Well, not to bore you all, but I wish to share the brief history behind this lovely country-wide celebration known as Canada Day.
Brief History of Canada Day
On July 1st, 1867, Canada became a self-governing dominion of Great Britain (since before then, Canada was under Great Britain’s rule). It was originally known as Dominion Day. Not until 1983 the Dominion Day change to Canada Day since Canada gained complete independence in 1982.
The Maple Flag
Canada has a very distinguishable flag with its red maple leaf. This unique flag has gone through a multitude of changes from the 1870s through to 1965. On January 28th, 1965, the red and white maple leaf flag got adopted, officially. This iconic symbol of our nation has some meanings behind it. Many say that the red maple leaf symbolizes promises of balance, love, longevity, and abundance! I may seem biased, but the Canadian national flag is a stunning and unique take. Maples are the Canadian national tree, and it makes the most delicious maple syrup! If you would like more information on our national flag, you can click here to learn more about our national flag history on the Canadian Government webpage.
Origin of the name – Canada
The name Canada has a unique sounding as well. Where on earth did someone come up with it? I found it interesting that the name most likely came from the Indigneous and first settlers. In 1535, two young Huron-Iroquois Indigneous told a French explorer, Jacques Cartier, about the route to “Kanata”. This was likely them trying to describe the “village” or “settlement” where they lived. The name Canada likely came from this description of Kanata. Did you know? There is this area near Ottawa, Ontario called Kanata? It is a nice area near our nation’s capital city! Canada has a vast and interesting history. You can click here to learn more on the Canadian government website.
Countrywide Celebrations
Now that the history is out of the way (and I gave you the quick version), let me share with you all about the nationwide Canada Day celebrations that you can all be a part of this year! Many Canadians and all those within Canada can enjoy the pride and inclusivity Canada offers! On July 1st of every year, millions of Canadians gather, party, and share in a multitude of festivities. As I mentioned before, food, fun, and lots of sun (or we hope, and yes, it rhymed haha). Most communities have their events, which (in most cases) end with a lovely evening of fireworks! No matter where you live, you will find some fun activities! These types of events are a great way to get involved in your community and meet new people!
Canada Day 2022 in Sudbury, Ontario
Specifically in Sudbury, this year (2022), the Sudbury Multicultural and Folk Art Association has partnered up with Science North. From 11:00 am to 10:00 pm at Science North, located at 100 Ramsey Lake Road, Sudbury, there will be a FREE Canada Day extravaganza! There will be so many things for people of all ages: live performances (dancing, drumming, music, etc), science demo shows, face painting, Gymzone, Life-SIze Angry Birds Game, and more! There will also be many vendors for food, drinks, snacks, and much more! For a full list of these activities, please visit this Science North link. It seems one of their goals this year is to promote and engage the community with traditional cultures in Canada and to promote multiculturalism. To me, this is an experience like no other!
The fun, the friends, the food
Canada Day is one of my favorite holidays! Filled with fun, sun, friends, food, and smiles! It is the best way to feel a part of this great country and to feel like family. Personally speaking, I have a great love for food and trying new things. It is a talking point, and everyone alive needs to eat! This year in Sudbury, we have some amazing food vendors who want to share some of their specialties with all of us.
Free Wheelin’ / Tornado Potato is a chip stand that specializes in tornado-style potatoes. These spiraled, spiced potatoes on a skewer are not only amazing to look at but are amazing to eat.
I can almost guarantee you will be able to get your hands on one of Canada’s most prized delicacies; the poutine (potato fries covered in cheese and gravy). Just talking about it is making my mouth water!
If you are in a sweet-tooth mode, there are other vendors you may want to take a look at. Steven Sweets-Kettle Corn is a small vendor who specializes in sweet, delectable foods like waffles and donuts covered in syrups and sauces and toppings beyond belief! Not only will kids love this, but it will bring the sweet, childlike wonder back into you! And to top it all off, the Peach Pit is another vendor that specializes in vegan frozen/cold treats! On a hot July day, you can have a sweet treat like a refreshing smoothie.
Not only will you enjoy these flavors of Canada, but you will be supporting your local community. Supporting local businesses is a great way to become closer to your community.
Unity in Diversity
At this Canada Day celebration, there will also be a multitude of multicultural vendors to explore and speak to. The Afro Heritage Association, the Northern Muslim Association, the Vietnamese Association of Sudbury, and India Canada. These places want to be there to support locals in Sudbury. They also want to spread awareness and promote the multiculturalism that is the Greater City of Sudbury! Everyone should feel welcome and a part of this local community. Spread the love and share the love.
Sudbury is a great place to live and to celebrate! If you go out and celebrate this Canada Day, we would love to see all the fun, the food, the smiles, and the activities you were enjoying! If you are on Instagram or other social media, please follow us and/or tag us, and/or use the hashtag #Canada2022Voyager. We would love to put you in our Canada Day stories highlights! Feel the love and share the love with your fellow Voyagers.
I hope you liked this blog post inspired by Canada. If you want to see more or a topic or have any other ideas, our Captains would like to hear from you.
