Canadian Days 2019 - A Special Section published by Lillie Suburban Newspapers
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‘We Are Family’: Celebrating Canadian Days 2019
Canadian Days, Little Canada’s annual summer festival, is so jam-packed with fun events that its committee president, Jeanne Parsons, can’t even name her favorite part of it.
“I guess it’s really hard to just pinpoint just one,” she says. “[All the events] have their own aspects ... It’s just fun to see lots of families out there.”
Canadian Days will once again draw families out for community fun Thursday, Aug. 2, through Sunday, Aug. 4, with festivities focused on Spooner Park.
Appropriately enough, this year’s theme is “We Are Family,” something that Parsons says is related to the generations of folks who’ve called the community home.
“It’s based on the fact that in Little Canada we have a lot of founding families who have stayed in Little Canada, so we’re kind of saluting our history,” she says.
With the theme in mind, Canadian Days committee member Don Gagne is this year’s Canadian Days Parade Grand Marshal.
“His family settled here in 1850, so we’re excited to have him,” says Parsons, noting that Gagne has been on the all-volunteer festival committee for 20 years and involved with the event since 1977.
“We’re excited to have him as grand marshal,” she says. “His family’s very excited — he’s building a float for his 18 family members to be in the parade with him.”
With more than four decades of Canadian Days, the festival leans on tradition, though Parsons points out that attendees will still find some new things to enjoy at this year’s event.
Organizers opted to skip carnival rides for 2019 and instead bring in a variety of inflatables. Though that sounds like it might just be for the kids, Parsons says they’ve got bounce houses coming for people of all sizes and ages.
There is also a new musical act — check out Tom Petty tribute band Free Fallin’ on Sunday afternoon.
Parsons also wants to make sure that festival attendees know parking might be tight near Spooner Park this year, and that folks should really consider taking the free shuttles to the Canadian Days action.
Little Canada Elementary School is being expanded and remodeled, taking away some of the parking nearest to Spooner Park.
Instead, Parsons says, folks should hop the shuttles that run throughout the festivities, bringing people from the parking lots at Pioneer Park to Spooner. That shuttle runs Friday 5-11 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sunday 2-5 p.m.
Another shuttle will operate Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., carrying attendees from Saxon Lanes to Spooner Park.
“Parking’s going to be at a premium this year,” Parsons says, so plan on the shuttle.
Parsons says much work goes into planning the family-friendly festival each year and that it’s all worth it.
“It’s a great community, we’re all volunteers and we all work very hard and we have a lot of fun, too,” she says. “And after the festival is over we all breath a sigh of relief but it’s usually a job well done.”
As ever, Parsons says, more volunteers are welcome — “We’re always open to people who want to help, it’s a great community event.”
Highlights from Canadian Days 2019 are on page 10.
Thursday, Aug. 1
• Head to the Spooner Park band shell for the Community Ice Cream Social 6 to 8 p.m., put on by the Little Canada Recreation Association. Enjoy free custard and root beer courtesy of the local Culver’s.
Friday, Aug. 2
• Canadian Days festivities in Spooner Park, 351 Eli Road, begin at 5 p.m. All events are in Spooner Park unless otherwise noted.
• Swing Cats Band will perform 5 to 7 p.m.
• Get in on the annual Corn Feed, from 5 to 7 p.m., or until all the ears of corn are gone. Corn-lovers get a free ear if they purchase a $3 Canadian Days 2019 button.
• There are lots of booths: Retailers will be open 5 to 7:30 p.m.; L.C.’s Playland goes 5 to 9 p.m.; USA Inflatables are open 5 to 10 p.m.; the beer garden, with pull tabs, is open 5 to 11:30 p.m.; and food vendors are open 5 to 11 p.m.
• Competitors can get in on the Little Canada Recreation Association Volleyball Tourney or the LCRA Bean Bag Tourney; both run 5 to 8:30 p.m. For more information head to www.lcraonline.org
• Friday night’s music is courtesy of the Bad Girlfriends, performing from 7:30 to 11:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 3
• Get moving with the 5K Walk/Run, which departs from Pioneer Park on DeSoto Street at 8 a.m. Registration is at 7:30 a.m. and awards are at 9:45 a.m.
• The first musical act of the day is the Maple Street Ramblers, playing 8 to 9 a.m.
• Grab some free chow, once again, by showing off your Canadian Days button 8 to 10 a.m. at the Pancake Breakfast.
• A Canadian Days tradition since 1977, the Macgillivray Pipe Band performs 9 to 9:30 a.m.
• Backpacks for Kids — it’s a program run by Roseville Area Schools that benefits kids in need at Little Canada Elementary School. Bring new school supplies including backpacks, wide-ruled notebooks, folders, pencils, pens, markers, glue and scissors to Little Canada City Center, 515 Little Canada Road, Saturday morning prior to heading to Spooner Park.
• Kid Zone is just for the little ones from 9 a.m. to noon — there’s face painting and balloon animals. The best part is the fun is free!
• The LCRA Kittenball Tourney is 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Go to www.lcraonline.org for more information.
• Check out some beautiful old rides at the Classic Car Show, which runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with car awards given out at 3 p.m.
• The Kiddie Parade is 11 to 11:30 a.m., with sign-up at 10:30 a.m. There are prizes for the best costumes and food coupons/prizes for registrants. You can pre-register online at www.canadiandays.org
• Play some all-ages bingo — it’s going 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. with registration at 11 a.m.
• Booths open at 11 a.m.: L.C.’s Playland is open until 9 p.m. with an afternoon intermission from 1 to 3 p.m.; USA Inflatables run until 10 p.m.; food vendors go until 11 p.m.; the beer garden serves until 11:30 p.m.
• Comfort Yoga Alfresco — demonstrations are 3 to 4 p.m., offered by www.thiafit.com.
• The Hooperina Hula Hoop Extravaganza runs from 1 to 4 p.m.
• The Gervais Lake Boat Parade shoves off at 4 p.m. — check it out from Gervais Lake Park, 2520 Edgerton St.
• Music: Flying Train Wreck will play classic rock from 4 to 6 p.m. and Ben Johnson and the Road Beers take the stage 7:30 to 11:30 p.m.
• Saturday ends with a BANG! — fireworks are at 10 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 4
• The LCRA Kittenball Tourney runs 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• The Canadian Days Parade sets off at noon from Saxon Lanes, 61 Little Canada Road, and heads to Spooner Park. It’s a trip of about a mile east down Little Canada Road then north on Centerville Road.
• Food Vendors open at 11 a.m. and are open until 5 p.m., while USA Inflatables run noon until 5 p.m. The beer garden also runs 12 to 5 p.m. Retail booths are open 12 to 4 p.m.
• Bring out the kids for the Petting Zoo, which features llamas, yaks, camels and more, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.
• L.C.’s Playland is open 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
• Awards: both the medallion hunt reward and the button prize drawings are at 3 p.m.
• Music: Free Fallin’, playing Tom Petty covers, performs 2 to 4:30 p.m.
The festival closes Aug. 4, leaving behind a trail of giggles, candy and memories to last until next year.
Free shuttles all weekend
With limited parking near Spooner Park because of construction, Canadian Days organizers recommend taking a shuttle to the festivities.
Friday, Aug. 2, shuttles run from 5 to 11 p.m., moving people from Pioneer Park to Spooner Park. Pioneer Park is located at 2950 Centerville Road — you can park in both the east and west parking lots to catch the shuttle.
Saturday, Aug. 3, shuttles from Pioneer Park, with the same details as above, run from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. A shuttle also runs from Saxon Lanes, 61 Little Canada Road, to Spooner Park, from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 4, shuttles run from Pioneer Park, with the same details as above, from 2 to 5 p.m.
Good luck hunting: Medallion details
The Canadian Days medallion will be hidden somewhere on Little Canada city property where it is accessible to all — that means no climbing, digging or chopping will be necessary to find it. As the Canadian Days committee reminds folks, “You may search and enjoy, but do not destroy the natural beauty of Little Canada.”
The first clue in the medallion hunt will be posted Monday, July 29, at 8 a.m. on the main entrance to Little Canada City Center, 515 Little Canada Road, and at North Heights Hardware Hank, 2920 Rice St. The clue will also be posted on www.canadiandays.org. Clues will continue to be posted through Saturday, Aug. 3, or until the medallion is found. If you find the medallion, call 651-492-4680 immediately.
The medallion prize will be awarded Sunday, Aug. 4 at 3 p.m. at Spooner Park — you must be there to collect the prize.
Register your $3 Canadian Days button prior to 8 a.m. on July 29 to win the $250 medallion prize; buttons registered after that date are eligible for $125. You must purchase a button to win either prize.
Click here for more information on the many Canadian Days activities!