Canada’s Parks Day is a national event, showcasing parks and historic sites, in every province and territory in Canada.
What is it?
First celebrated in 1990, Canada’s Parks Day is an opportunity for Canadians to participate in one of hundreds of unique and fun events taking place in parks and sites from coast to coast to coast.
When is it?
Canada’s Parks Day is celebrated on the third Saturday of July, each year. In 2011 it will be celebrated on July 16.
Where is it?
Events are organized in national parks, national historic sites, provincial parks, territorial parks and in community and regional parks across Canada.
What types of events are offered?
Park agencies often choose Canada’s Parks Day to open new parks or facilities, such as visitor centres, launch new services or celebrate anniversaries.
Park staff and community volunteers, such as “friends of” organizations and naturalists clubs, work together to offer special programs such as:
- Campfires with interpretation, songs and skits,
- Art displays by Canadian artists,
- Nature walks, canoe tours and rafting trips,
- Kite making workshops,
- Lumberjack competitions and demonstrations,
- Wildflower walks,
- Water-themed activities,
- Eco-challenge hikes,
- Traditional Aboriginal food, crafts, music and story-telling,
- Historical demonstrations such as rope making, cooking, candle-making and Morse Code, to name just a few!
Who participates?
The day prior to Canada’s Parks Day – Friday, July 16th, the world famous CN Tower will be lit in the colours green, blue and yellow in celebration of Canada’s Parks Day. Blue and green represent the biosphere that sustains life on earth and yellow, the sunshine that provides the energy that living systems depend on. Just as the CN Tower is a symbol of pride, Canada’s national, provincial and territorial parks are a symbol of the vast beauty of the country and of pride for all Canadians.
From Vancouver Island in the West, to Baffin Island in the North and Newfoundland and Labrador in the East, nearly 50,000 people took part in more than 300 Parks Day events annually. This year, Canadians of all ages will be invited to learn more about the nature and history of Canada by participating in Canada’s Parks Day festivities. Of course, summer visitors to Canada are equally welcome to discover the beauty of Canada’s parks on this special day.
