Canada Day! 

So July 1st is Canada Day over here and there are celebrations across the country. Canada Day is basically the birthday of Canada, when the colonies of Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick all joined together to become Canada on July 1st 1867.

Downtown Vancouver hosted performances, parties and general merriment all day, with most of the main streets closed off. The place was awash with people in Canadian colours, with flags and face paint.

We didn't actually head into Downtown until the evening, because the day is mainly for families and kids, and the parade and fireworks were from 7pm onwards. 

Canada Day Parade

I was excited for my first ever parade. We don't have many in England, especially where I am from. Even if we did I probably wouldn't have ever gone, I'm far more outgoing here. 

Having seen parades on TV numerous times, you sort of have expectations, which I did. The optimist in me says the parade was a fantastic gathering of people out celebrating the same thing, with fun and interesting floats and bands walking past with music and dancing. The cynic in me says it was a little disorganised and just a pile of advertising that went on for way too long!

Canada Day Fireworks Display

Now, the fireworks display was what I was most excited about. I have never been to a "proper" fireworks display. One where real money is spent. The best I have been to is the back of a pub on bonfire night in England. Suffice it to say they are never breathtaking there. So, how were they?

Well, they were good, much much better than anything I have seen in person before, but they weren't spectacular. I'm not sure what I was expecting, maybe something like the choreographed ones you see on New Year at the London Eye or Sydney Harbour Bridge, a little farfetched I'm sure. Either way, I enjoyed them a lot and you can't complain when it is all free! The Celebration of Light later in the year on English Bay should surpass it though :)

Overall the day was fun and light hearted. I'm glad I went and experienced it, as I may not get the chance again. There were some negatives though, lots of weed and drunk people, which is all well and good for a night out, but not so much for family and kids.