Airdronians have a plethora of local options to recognize Canada's 155th birthday this weekend.
Main Street will see the return of Airdrie's popular Canada Day Parade through downtown on July 1. This year marks the parade's long-awaited return, as it was cancelled due to pandemic-related restrictions in 2020 and 2021.
The City's Canada Day fireworks display is also making a comeback this Friday. The fireworks will be set off at dusk from Chinook Winds Regional Park.
A short drive south from Airdrie, Century Downs Racetrack and Casino in Balzac is hosting a variety of Canada Day-themed celebrations all weekend, kicking off with a fireworks display this Thursday night.
Last but not least, the Airdrie Pro Rodeo is taking place Friday and Saturday at the rodeo grounds west of the city. The two-day event boasts world-class rodeo athletics, in addition to a cabaret, live music, an evening dance, and much more.
Given the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions earlier this year, 2022 will see the first free-for-all in terms of Canada Day celebrations in Airdrie since 2019.
Considering the forecast is calling for rain for Friday, we in the Airdrie City View newsroom are crossing our fingers that the meteorologists have gotten their predictions wrong this time. Regardless, we're looking forward to documenting the myriad events around town – look for photos in next week's paper or online at AirdrieToday.com.
It's important to note that last year's Canada Day arrived during a time of reckoning for many Canadians, following the discovery of thousands of unmarked graves on the sites of former residential schools across the country. Those grisly findings in the spring of 2021 meant many people were not in a celebratory mood come Canada's birthday, but rather a mood of sombre reflection of one of the darkest chapters in this country's history. It's important to not forget the conversations that emerged from last year's discoveries.
