100 Ways to Celebrate Canada Day at Burlington’s Canada Day Celebrations

Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to not only live in a great city like Burlington (Canada’s 2^nd best place to live!) but to also be a Canadian. This year, Burlington’s Canada Day Celebrations were awarded the Festivals and Events Ontario Top 100 Event award. So in honour of this award winning festival, here are 100 ways to celebrate our great nation’s birthday in our great city:

1. Walk 1km, Run 1km or 5km at 8:30am in the Green Germann Sakran Canada Day 5K
2. Get Zen at 9:30am while practicing yoga with Beth Rutty Yoga (bring your own mat & water bottle)
3. Pledge allegiance to the flag with Canada’s newest citizens at the Citizenship Court at 10am
4. Congratulate a Queen’s Medal winner with Mike Wallace at noon at the Canada Stage
5. Enjoy some delicious corn on the cob from Ontario Corn Roasters
6. Be amused by the Scholars in Collars agility dogs at 12:30pm
7. March to the beat of the Burlington Teen Tour Band as they kick off the Opening Ceremonies at 1pm
8. Get your tickets for the Canadiana Viewing Tent to elevate your event experience
9. Pop across the street to Joseph Brant Museum for Spectacular Shows & Mesmerizing Performances as part of the Strawberry Social
10. Stop by the Tourism Burlington visit centre and find out more about what to see and do in Burlington
11. Paint a ceramic souvenir with Crock A Doodle
12. Sing O Canada with Battle of the Best winner Charissa Pavlou
13. Help the environment and get some exercise by riding your bike to Spencer Smith, you can park it in the MEC Bike Corral
14. Bring a refillable water bottle to use at the refillable water stations and fountains in Spencer Smith Park(save money and be green)
15. Applaud Burlington native Connie Smith, as she MC’s on the Canada Stage East
16. Eat a hot dog, I think that’s a Canada Day requirement
17. Get down with the funky sounds of The Altobeelays
18. Watch the agility dogs from Scholars in Collars catch Frisbees at 2:30
19. Get up close and personal by petting a reptile at the Safari Science booth
20. Show your National pride with a free Canada Day pin from the information booth
21. Learn a new dance step with Creative Edge Dance Studio
22. High Five the busking Mountie (if you can reach!)
23. If you have to drive, car pool (it’s green and makes parking easier)
24. Reach new heights - climb the rock wall on the west lawn
25. Grab a cold drink and relax under the trees
26. Jump in a bouncer in the Boehringer Ingelheim Fun Zone
27. Say hello to the mayor or your councillor
28. Grab some lunch from the Raging Olive in the Food Court in Spencer Smith Park
29. Check out the Water Ski Show at 3:30 and again at 6:30pm
30. Pretend it’s the ‘Summer of ‘69’ and sing along with the Bryan Adams tribute
31. Be green and bring your trash to the Burlington Green Waste Diversion tent for sorting
32. Volunteer before, during, or after the event
33. Visit the K-Lite Community Cruiser while they give updates from the event
34. Grab a cool one in the Aldershot Lions Beer Gardens (but only if you’re of legal drinking age!)
35. Try to resist having a funnel cake...I’m not sure it’s possible
36. Kids (and adults) have some fun playing games with Young Drivers of Canada
37. Dance to the music of pop/R&B artist, Andrea Godin
38. Support a great cause and buy some Girl Guide Cookies
39. Count how many boaters are on the lake
40. Take a walk on the Promenade...with some Cool Lemon lemonade
41. Shop til you drop in the Marketplace
42. Plant a red petunia to take home with the Burlington Liberal Association
43. Get a tattoo (temporary) of a Canadian Flag in the west marketplace
44. Protect yourself and your little ones by wearing sunscreen
45. And a red hat...and a red T-shirt...and red shoes
46. And sunglasses, if you forget your sunglasses, buy red Canada Day sunglasses from the Information Tent
47. Aspiring Eli Manning? Toss a football in the Boehringer Ingelheim Fun Zone
48. Say thank you to an event volunteer
49. Smile for an event photographer
50. See K-Lite’s Aiko Iwashita in person as she emcees the Waterfront Stage West from 1:30 – 7pm
51. Wave a Canadian Flag – you can pick one up at the Information Tent
52. Cool down with an Olympic Softee Ice Cream cone
53. See if the Hockey busker will pass you the puck
54. In Burlington from out of town? Say hello to Tourism Burlington’s friendly travel counsellors at the information tent!
55. Sway to Scott Keo’s Michael Bublé tribute
56.  Leave fido or your other furry friends and pets at home. They’ll be safer, cooler and happier there.
57. Take a walk to Beachway Park and dip your toes in the water
58. Check out the downtown shops and restaurants
59. Check out Charissa Pavlou and her band on the Canada Day Stage at 3pm
60. Stand at the centre of the Compass and hear your voice amplified
61. Learn about the History of the Waterfront at Discovery Landing
62. Enjoy a leisurely lunch or dinner at Spencers at the Waterfront restaurant or grab a quick bite at The Bite
63. Use the waterfront viewers and check out the birds on the lake
64. Bring a blanket, or a lawn chair and settle in for the day and night
65. Check out the Naval Monument and honour those who fought for our freedom
66. Stop for a rest at the stone bench donated by our twin city Apeldoorn, Netherlands
67. Be a Burlington Ambassador by welcoming visitors to the 2^nd best place to live in Canada
68. Take our Canada Day shuttle. Hop on the Burlington Transit bus for free or give a small donation.
69. Shimmy and shake to Nightbox
70. Get your face painted with Jack Astor’s in the marketplace
71. In the spirit of Euro Cup, kick a soccer ball with the Burlington Conservative Association
72. Milk a cow with the Dairy Farmers of Canada
73. Strike! Pitch a baseball in the Boehringer Ingelheim Fun Zone
74. Receive a free demo at Anna’s Nail Art
75. Light up the night with It’s Glow Time (toys that light up – how fun!)
76. Get a new ‘pet’ at Walking Pet Balloons
77. Sit down to a delicious meal in the Canadiana Viewing Tent (don’t forget to pre-purchase tickets)
78. Learn a new dance step with Dancers Burlington from 10am – 5pm
79. Pay it forward, wish a stranger a Happy Canada Day
80. Build a Lego creation with E-bots
81. Commemorate the War of 1812 and make a craft with the Museums of Burlington
82. Try the obstacle course with Monkeynastix
83. Save room for a Bloomin’ Onion
84. Shake a paw with the Pet Valu mascot
85. Wave hello to CHCH’s Cristina Tenaglia while she emcees the Canada Stage East from 5:30 – 10pm
86. Rock out to Wavelength, the Rush Tribute
87. Get the best seats in the park for the Water Ski Show in the Canadiana Viewing Tent
88. Visit the Strawberry Social at the Joseph Brant Museum
89. See if Adam Cooke covers your favourite Canadian song at 4:30 pm
90. Slide down the double fun slide in the Boehringer Ingelheim Fun Zone
91. Take in headliner Ashley MacIsaac at 8:30pm for Celtic Rock experience like no other
92. Check out the giant Canada Day Flag on the Canada Stage East
93. Tweet to all your friends to join you at the event @cityburlington #CanadaDay
94. Bring your swimsuit and cool off in the Dofasco Waterjets
95. Get the best seats in the park for the fireworks in the Canadiana Viewing Tent
96. Plan the rest of your summer by picking up a Burlington Events brochure at the information booth
97. Wave to the fire truck on Lakeshore Road & Brant St.
98. Take a photo of you looking patriotic and post it on your facebook page
99. Ewww and awwww and marvel at the Fireworks at 10 pm
100. Be grateful to live in the best country in the world!

Happy Canada Day everyone! I can’t wait to see if I can do everything on this list on Sunday, July 1^st from 10am – 10pm in Spencer Smith Park in Burlington, ON. How about you?

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