The whole country will be in party mode July 1 for Canada Day, and that includes Airdrie. Along with the parade and fireworks the community has enjoyed for many years, the City is trying something new this year for the celebration. “We’re going to be having a street festival, which will take place…outside of City Hall, as soon as the parade is over,” said Sam Morros, event co-ordinator for Airdrie Parade and Fireworks Committee. The parade begins at 10 a.m. and runs until around noon. According to Morros, the event will feature many familiar faces, but will introduce several new floats, as well – including the forty-piece ensemble Band of Outriders, which is the Calgary Stampede’s Showband. Then, the celebration will transition to the Main Street block outside of City Hall for the Canada Day Street Festival, which runs until 4 p.m. Bouncy castles, face painting, balloon artists, food trucks and classic cars will all be on show. Morros added Main Street will be shut down from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Because of this, Urgent Care Centre access will be limited to two access points – Allen Street and Main Street, and First Avenue north and Main Street. Emergency Responders will be on hand for preliminary care before patients can walk to Urgent Care. “For the people that maybe have already come out and set their chairs up really early – staking their claim of the land for the parade – I think the street festival is going to be fantastic because there’s nowhere else to travel to,” Morros she said. “It’s all right there.”
