How to have fun on Canada Day!

Happy Canada Day, everyone!

If you want to have a lot of fun on Canada Day, participate with a “float” on a parade.  Our very active community decided to get together, and with a little $500 grant set up a vehicle to highlight some of the activities carried out by residents on Anarchist Mountain.

The volunteer fire department offered us a vehicle, which was then promptly decked with anything you could imagine from the Dollar stores in town.

Participants then acted out some of the activities—I was supposed to be a birdwatcher.  See my nice origami birds on the side of the fire truck? 

I was decked out in Tilley Hat, binoculars, wild Canada Day socks while I had a “moose” beside me (complete with moose crossing sign on back), as well as well-bedecked organizers.

As part of the theme, we had a little “baby owl” as part of the group—she was one of the stars of the show.

Regrettably, I have no pictures of Brian, but he was the spotter in the passenger seat of the fire truck, so he got a great view.

One of the themes of our community is roads named after wildlife (Bull Moose Way, Peregrine, Eagle Point, etc) and one of the more notorious roads is called Sasquatch.  The residents of Sasquatch featured Mr. John the Squatch, on a bicycle.  He stole the show—nobody looked anywhere else as he cycled around the fire truck.

The turnout on the streets was marvellous.

Some of the fire trucks squirted water at the crowd, but they were sometimes outmatched by combatants ready by the side of the road.

Behind our truck was a float for the Portuguese Society of Osoyoos, complete with a band playing lively music.

There were 47 entries in the parade--not bad for a town of 5000!

After we retired from the parade, we went down to the Legion (of course) to enjoy Beef on a Bun.  Featured was a pipe band from Summerland, who played a great set of music.

Finally, the Legion hosted an entertainer who was a tribute artist.  His first song was that of Johnny Cash, and he did a fine job.

Then he did Elvis.

Then he did Roy Orbison.

The he went on to do Neil Diamond, and Fogarty of Credence Clearwater Revival. 

I have never seen a tribute artist who covered such a diversity of entertainers so well.

After thee parade, everyone went to Osoyoos Lake and covered the beaches as well as filling the lake with watercraft.

Tonight features fireworks touted as the “Second Best Fireworks in Canada” after Parliament Hill.  What a great Canada Day!  Hope all of you enjoyed it as much as we did!