Barbeques, Parades, and Fireworks, Oh My!

[Kalstolyn]

Hello ATG!!!

As many of you know, Viral C is in Canada RIGHT NOW! And tomorrow (July 1) is the first complete day he will spend here. In celebration, the entire nation of Canada is holding parades, bbqs, and exorbitant fireworks displays rivaling those shown on New Year's Eve. WOOHOO!!!

Actually, tomorrow is Canada Day, the day that celebrates the anniversary of the July 1, 1867 enactment of the British North America Act of 1867, which united Canada as a single country.

I know that the United States equivalent is fast approaching as well, and many people here in Canada actually do celebrate July 4 as well, being expatriate United States Citizens. Expatriate Canadians in the United States and around the world also celebrate their national holiday abroad, and in fact there is a website that tracks these celebrations.

The fireworks in my parents' town, just outside the city where I live, has had to cancel its hot dog roast and fireworks due to a total fire ban set by the county due to extreme drought. The fireworks display here in Edmonton is still on though, and the High Level Bridge waterfall will be turned on, and apparently the fireworks will be super incredibly massive. I don't know if I will go downtown to watch them though -- it will be crowded and unruly, and I have no desire to hang around Churchill Square at 11:00 at night.

In the town where I grew up, there was a penny hunt and a carnival on Canada Day. Basically some people flung about a thousand pennies out in a field and set all the kids in town loose to collect them. Those pennies could then be spent at the penny carnival. It was weird but it was fun, especially since it was always still winter during Easter, so we never got to do egg hunts outside. This sort of felt like it made up for that.

So ATG, time for a spoon of discussiony goodness:
Are you planning to participate in the local festivities for your national holiday?
Does your family or community have any unusual customs on that day?
Did you know that Canada Day was advertised in Times Square today?
Monkeys.  

[Pnytenshi]

Going over to my parents's with my boyfriend... having bbq and lighting fireworks... going to be fun... This is going to be a first in my family... all of us together...  

[Kalstolyn]

That sounds great, I hope you have a blast!  

[Skrat_teh_Squirrel]

I FREAKIN' LOVE MONKEYS!

Lol, no. I'm spending Independence Day with a friend of mine and our buddy at his lakeside cabin in the resort town of McCall, ID. Apparently they have fireworks on the lake every year and it's really beautiful. This'll be the first time I'm going up there for the good ol' 4th but I'm sure to have a spectacular time, since I'll be with a couple good friends.

But anyway, happy Canada Day!  

[Jafthasleftthebuilding]

I'll probably be at a fair, hopefully accompanied by some funnel cake... >_>  

[AlcoholicPancake]

My 4th of July is probably going to spent on my computer playing a MUD >_>

I don't go with my family to the fireworks or participate in their barbecues ever...  

[God-Raped-Me]

I'm being forced to go out today, I really don't want to go anywhere but alas...

I'm not sure what happens here, I'll have to get back to you on the events in this town.

I want a pet monkey! Well no, I would like to see a pet monkey, I have enough monkeys in my house as it is! xd

On a side note, Jaft, Looking good!  

[Jafthasleftthebuilding]

When am I not looking good?

;D  

[wakusei]

Jaft

I'll probably be at a fair, hopefully accompanied by some funnel cake... >_>

omgfunnelcake


I...I don't know what I'm doing for the 4th over here... emo Hopefully something. Otherwise I'll just buy myself BBQ and pretend I'm having fun...*sniff*  

[Kalstolyn]

GRM: I'm glad someone is dragging you out, is good for you!

My best friend called me at quarter to nine this morning gonk and she is on her way over here now to kidnap me. This means I get to spend the day with her and her terribly adorable kids aka my niece and nephew.  

[Elcia]

If you want an awesome experience of fire works watch them in a valley with mountains of some moderate height. The echo of the explosion bouncing back from behind you is really cool.

I have no plans for the 4th of July as of yet.
Anyway Happy Canada day!!!  

[aretoo]

aretoo will be working, alas. smile

The coolest Independence Day I ever had was when I was working at a Scout camp in the Oregon Cascade Mountains. We'd all driven 20 miles or so to watch the fireworks at Detroit Lake (nowhere near Michigan), and a thunderstorm had rolled in while we were down there. The storm broke right when we got back to the camp, but it was a HIGH thunderstorm, and we could see the lightning both in front of and behind Mt. Jefferson. Most. Awesome. Thing. Ever. wink  

[Taeryyn]

Happy Canada Day!! biggrin I worked for 9 hours today, took hardly any calls, and got paid around $30/hour. ^_^ Tonight, I'm gonna chill out and maybe-maybe-maybe watch the fireworks.

>.> Fireworks in Saint John are always iffy, because it's foggy here so often. If there are any fireworks, I can see them really well from just outside my house. : D  

[Kalstolyn]

Best Canada Day fireworks display I've ever seen was a few years ago when I was working for a computer company, and my desk was located one cubicle-row over from the window overlooking the part of the River Valley where they fire off the fireworks. My desk was also on the 29th floor, and the fireworks were exploding pretty much at eye level outside the window. I was on a call for the entire display, but the US citizen on the other end of the line wasn't doing anything that required me to look at my computer screen, so I could stand up and turn around to watch the display. So amazing.

Apparently the display in Edmonton tonight was the biggest the city has ever had, I only saw a few glimpses on the news though because I was out in Sherwood Park getting lots of baby smiles and toddler cuddles. I actually just now got home.