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Kelowna releases road closures, events and schedule for Canada Day

Folkfest, protein drums and fireworks, hoorah!
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MP Stephen Fuhr, Festivals Kelowna president Richard Groves and Mayor Colin Basran don the traditional pre-Canada Day silly hats during the announcement of this year’s event plans. (David Venn - Capital News)

For the 22nd consecutive year, the City of Kelowna will host it’s annual Canada Day celebration downtown on July 1, featuring all the the usual array of events throughout the day.

The celebration will kick off at 10 a.m. at the Kelowna Art Galley with drop-in crafts and 11 a.m. in Waterfront Park with free activities for the entire family. This year celebration is expected attract in excess of 55,000 people, making it one of the biggest Canada Day events in the B.C. Interior.

“Canada Day in Kelowna is a special day for so many reasons,” said Mayor Colin Basran. “It’s a celebration of our great nation, it’s a day to celebrate the growing diversity that makes our city more welcoming to people of all cultures and lifestyles and it’s an action-packed day of fun, music and spectacle.”

READ MORE: Lake Country’s Canada Day will have plenty; just no fireworks

The main activities will be centred in Waterfront Park between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m., with highlights of the day including Kelowna Dog Agility Club demonstrations, music on several stages, kids activities, the Made in Canada Marketplace and the Canada Day birthday cake cutting in Prospera Place across the street from the park at 12:30 p.m.

The 46th annual Kelowna Folk Fest and the Taste of Canada Food Fair will also take place inside Prospera Place throughout the day starting at 10 a.m. That will be followed by the annual Canada Day concert featuring the Kelowna City Band from 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

The day will close with the popular fireworks show over the lake, in front of Waterfront Park starting at 10:30 p.m.

The Lakefront Promenade at the north end of the park will be closed from the north end of Tugboat Beach through Rotary Marsh and Sunset Drive on Sunday, June 30 from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m. Park access will be available from Rhapsody Plaza on Water Street through concession plaza.

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Water Street will be closed from Cawston Avenue to Sunset Drive on July 1 from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. The road up Knox Mountain will be closed from 8 p.m. on July 1 and the boat locks between Waterfront Park and the Grand Okanagan Resort Hotel will be closed from 6 a.m. July 1 to 9 a.m. July 2.

Public parking will be available at the Library Plaza Parkade, located at 1360 Ellis Street, the Memorial Parkade at 1420 Ellis Street and at the Chapman Parkade at 345 Lawrence Avenue.

Transit service July 1 will follow the usual Saturday schedule, with two additional charter buses added to routes 8 and 10 starting at 4 p.m. and a further seven bus added later in the evening.

For full list of activities go to festivalskelowna.com.

READ MORE: Big changes to food services UBC Okanagan


@davidvenn_
David.venn@kelownacapnews.com

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