Canada Day festivities will return in full force in Chatham-Kent this long weekend after two years of closures and virtual events due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The holiday will bring about a series of closures on Friday but there will be plenty for families to do.
Here is what's happening across Chatham-Kent this Canada Day weekend:
In Chatham, a Canada Day celebration will be held in Tecumseh Park on Saturday, July 2 from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Free cupcakes will be handed out at noon.
Epilepsy Southwestern Ontario will also be selling 50/50 raffle tickets at the park on Saturday and again at Ribfest on July 7-10. The draw will be taking place on July 10 at 5 p.m.
Tilbury will be kicking Canada Day off with a firework display on Thursday, June 30 at Memorial Park. Residents are encouraged to come out early for some live entertainment starting at 7 p.m. on Friday. There will also be free cupcakes handed out courtesy of Tilbury Foodland and food available for purchase from the Tilbury Firefighters Association and fun activities for the children.
The firework show in Tilbury will take place at dusk. A rain date is scheduled for Sunday, July 3.
In Wallaceburg, there will be a celebration on Friday, July 1 at the Kinsmen Community Centre from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will feature activities for children, food, vendors, and plenty of entertainment.
Residents are being asked to bring their own lawn chairs if they are planning on staying for the day.
In Blenheim, there will be music, food, and fireworks at Glad Tidings Church on Friday, July 1. The event is set to start around 6 p.m. followed by fireworks at dusk.
The town of Bothwell will be celebrating Canada Day with loud bangs and bright colours. There will be a firework show on the Sloan property behind the Bothwell Arena Sports Centre. The display is set for dusk on July 1.
Wheatley will be holding some special celebrations over the Canada Day long weekend with Fish Fest taking place on July 1, 2, and 3 at the Wheatley Harbour. There will be plenty of activities for different age groups, such as children’s contests, treasure hunts, a tug of war across the harbour, tug pulls, and tote box races along with a smoked fish contest on Friday and a fish fry on Saturday night to celebrate Wheatley’s proud 150 year fishing heritage.
CK fire officials recommend attending a professional fireworks display for maximum safety
If you are thinking about enjoying some fireworks displays this weekend, Chatham-Kent fire officials would like to remind you to do so safely.
CK fire is recommending that you attend professional fireworks displays only, but if you do choose to have a family or informal neighbourhood display, you should keep the following guidelines in mind:
- only purchase fireworks from a trustworthy seller
- never leave fireworks in your car -- store them in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children
- set off your fireworks away from combustible materials such as buildings, trees or dry grass
- keep a hose or a pail of water close by
- keep sparklers away from children -- they can cause serious burn injuries to children
- give kids glow sticks and other glow-in-the-dark items instead of sparklers