Those looking to celebrate Canada Day in Barrie will have a weekend-long party to enjoy. The City of Barrie, in conjunction with downtown Barrie’s Promenade Days festival, has many public activities planned spanning the long weekend.
The weekend-long festivities will kick off on Friday, June 29, with the grand opening of the newly renovated Meridian Place. The event will feature public tours of the new outdoor space and live music.
Beginning on Saturday, June 30, and extending until Monday, July 2, Promenade Days will take over the downtown core. The street festival features vendors, patios, family activities and live entertainment along Dunlop Street.
There will also be a number of free fitness classes, a birthday cake cutting, face painting, wildlife displays, inflatables and a number of vendors and games at Heritage Park.
This year, a pop-up park was also added to the amenities. The park will feature giant chess, giant Jenga, giant checkers, parachute games and more, and will be located at the bottom of Owen Street.
The Canada Day festivities will be capped off with a fireworks display over Kempenfelt Bay beginning at 10 p.m. on July 1.
According to the city, in the event of a thunderstorm or high winds, the fireworks will be postponed until Monday, July 2 at 10 p.m.
Other places in the Simcoe County area to see a fireworks display include:
Bradford: Fireworks to be held at 10 p.m. at the Bradford and District Memorial Community Centre.
Blue Mountain Village: Fireworks will be held at 10 p.m. over the mountain.
Collingwood: Fireworks will be held at 10 p.m. downtown.
Orillia: Fireworks will be held at dusk at Couchiching Beach Park.
Wasaga Beach: Fireworks will be held at 10 p.m. at Beach Area 1.
Midland/Penetanguishene: Fireworks will be held at dusk at the Midland Town Dock
For those planning to host their own fireworks display, Barrie police have offered some key safety tips.
Police say people should light fireworks one at a time, and should always have a hose or water-filled bucket nearby.
Additionally, police say people should set up a safe-zone for spectators, at least 20 meters away from where the fireworks are being activated. It is also important to be mindful of wind direction.
If a firework doesn’t have a base, police say to bury it at least half way in a bucket of sand or dirt.
According to police, eye protection should always be worn when lighting fireworks and individuals should never lean over a firework when lighting.
People should never try to re-light a ‘dud’ firework. Instead, they advise waiting 15 to 20 minutes before soaking the firework in a bucket of water.
Police say children using sparklers should be closely monitored, as they can remain hot after they are extinguished.
Once the display is over, police say the proper way to dispose of fireworks is to soak them in water before putting them in a trash can.
There are also several city by-laws to keep in mind. A full list of rules, by-laws and additional safety tips can be found on the City of Barrie website.
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