Canada Day will be marked with celebrations in several communities throughout the South Okanagan.
The Osoyoos Festival Society presents the 66th annual Cherry Fiesta on July 1, kicking off with the Rotary pancake breakfast at the town square from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. This will be immediately followed by the Cherry Fiesta parade.
Entertainment and activities continue throughout the day at the Osoyoos Legion Hall with a beer garden, beef on a bun and more from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. At Gyro Beach there will be craft and food vendors, the Elks’s beverage garden, the cherry pit spit contest from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. and a cherry pie eating contest from 3:30 to 4 p.m.
Gyro Beach bandshell will host a variety of live music and entertainment from noon until 10 p.m. It starts with Dale Seaman and Highway 97 and continues with Dance Oasis, opening ceremonies and cake at 1:30 p.m., Kayla Dawn, Cindy Doucette, Kansas Lee, Aidan Mayes and Mandy Cole, Uncorked, Wined It Up and No Sinner hitting the stage as the final performance starting at 8:45 p.m.
As dusk hits the beach (approximately 10 p.m.) fireworks will be presented.
Join the Oliver Parks and Recreation as they celebrate Canada with a pancake breakfast and facepainting from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. A loonie swim takes place from 9 to 11 a.m.
In Okanagan Falls, the Legion is hosting events from 2 to 7 p.m. including the band Timeline, dancing and 50/50 draws. All ages are welcome. A flag raising and anthem ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. in Kenyon Park, with the pipe band and Legion Colour Party. Events and entertainment will continue from noon to 4 p.m. in Kenyon Park with a barbecue, family activities, a lawn maze, IGA cupcakes served by The Women’s Institute and live music with 13 Broken Bones.
A special ribbon cutting ceremony is taking place in Kaleden at 1:30 p.m. to commemorate the completion of the new Lakehill Road pedestrian walkway, which connects Highway 97 with lower Kaleden.
Everyone is then invited to parade down the two kilometre walkway to the lakeshore at Pioneer Park where the Canadian flag will be raised, the pipe band will play an the Legion Colour Party will lead the national anthem.
The party will continue with live music by DJ Mike and an afternoon of art and games in Pioneer Park.
Penticton also is hosting a celebratory bash for Canada Day which includes a pancake breakfast in Gyro Park, a fundraiser for Quota International starting at 8 a.m. Entertainment will continue throughout the day in the park, ending with fireworks sponsored by the Penticton Lakeside Resort.
For more information on Penticton events see last Friday’s Western News or online at www.pentictonwesternnews.com/entertainment.