Preparations are underway for one of the busiest Canada Day weekends Sicamous has seen in a long while.
July 1 and 2 will be packed with events involving music, food, art, sport and, of course, fireworks.
New to Sicamous’ Canada Day festivities is a focus on hockey, with Sicamous hockey alumnus and fellow players, past and present, joining in a variety of activities such as the Dekes and Bogeys Street Hockey tournament, which will run from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m on Main Street. At 2 p.m., Kelly Hrudey and Ross Breitkreuz will host the Sicamous Hockey Hot Seat, also on Main Street. The two will interview the community’s hockey heroes and talk about their career and how it began in Sicamous.
District of Sicamous recreation co-ordinator Jamie Sherlock says this hometown hockey focus has drawn the attention of the BCHL and Hockey Canada. Both organizations will have a presence in the community for the events. In fact, Hockey Canada’s Kelsey Chadwick plans to be in Sicamous to interview players and residents alike and document the day.
“She wants to interview guys like Shea, being a Hockey Canada alum, but she also wants to interview the people we’ve chosen to honour and she also wants to talk to the little guys who are playing and she wants to talk to age groups all the way through about what their time was like growing up in Sicamous,” said Sherlock.
Canada Day begins with the Lions Club pancake breakfast between 8 a.m. and noon at the Eagle Valley Senior Citizens Housing Society on Shuswap Avenue; $5 for adults and $3 for children. Dekes and Bogeys begins at the same time. A tailgate market begins on Main Street at 9 a.m. and runs all day.
An official Canada Day opening ceremony runs from 10 to 10:30 a.m. at the Main Street Park (near the Main Street Landing roundabout). The Red Barn opens its doors at 10 a.m. for the first full day of the 37th Annual Summer Arts and Crafts Show, hosted by the Eagle Valley Brush and Palette Club. A children’s summer arts and crafts festival is also taking place at the Red Barn from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Catch Canada Day karaoke with Liz Blair at the Red Barn from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Over at the Main Street Stage, from 10:30 to 11:30, it’s the DB Cooper Band.
At 11 a.m., stretch your legs with the Walk n’ Stroll Canada Day Parade. The parade starts at Eagle River Secondary and will run down Main Street to the Red Barn.
Back at the Red Barn at 11:30 it’s the Canada Day cake celebration.
Over on the Main Street Stage at 11:45 it’s Breakin Curfew.
At noon, stop by the Sicamous Legion for the annual sausage barbecue.
The Sicamous Hot Seat event is at 2 p.m. at the Main Street park.
At 3:30 p.m. on the Main Street Stage it’s Canadian roots band Wheat in the Barley.
Later at the Main Street Park, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., the successful Dekes and Bogeys teams will be recognized, as will some of the local hockey players in attendance who went on to play pro or semi-pro.
At 7 p.m., things move to the beach for the annual Canada Day Beach Party, once again featuring the music of Shoeswap. They’ll play until dusk, when it’s time for the fireworks.
Saturday, July 2, begins once again with a pancake breakfast, this time served at the Sicamous Recreation Centre, sponsored by the Sicamous Eagles Hockey Club. Breakfast runs from 7 to 11 a.m., $5 per person.
The 7th Annual Show and Shine Car Show and Craft Fair and Trade Show both begin at 10 a.m. at the rec centre and Finlayson Park. Admission is by donation. The 37th Annual Summer Arts and Crafts Show continues at the Red Barn, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. At 11 a.m. it’s the Deke’s and Bogeys Celebrity Golf Tournament (sold out) at Eagle River Golf and Country Club.
The day ends on a high note with the band Dr. Strangelove at the rec centre. This free concert begins at 6 p.m.
For more information, visit http://www.sicamous.today/