The City of Calgary will be piloting an enhanced pyrotechnic show featuring a visually stunning display of lights and sounds to end the night on Canada Day.
“This year we’re testing out a new way of closing out Canada Day festivities that addresses some of the cultural, community and environmental impacts previously experienced with traditional Canada Day fireworks,” said Franca Gualtieri, Manager of Arts & Culture at The City of Calgary.
The City says they recognize the cultural sensitivities around fireworks displays in relation to Truth and Reconciliation. This year, July 1 also marks the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Immigration Act and the city says for many Calgarians this is a day of mourning or reflection.
The city hopes an enhanced pyrotechnic show will help mitigate disruptive late-night traffic, noise and overcrowding issues around the popular fireworks viewing sites across Calgary. The city also wants to reduce the overcrowding of parked cars on residential roads around popular fireworks viewing sites to allow emergency services vehicles to be able to reach Calgarians faster in the event of an emergency.
“Over the next year, we’ll engage with citizens, community groups and cultural groups to collect feedback to understand Calgarians’ preferences for Canada Day programming which will help guide future decisions around Canada Day fireworks,” said Gualtieri.
In addition, the city says controlled pyrotechnics are less disruptive to Calgary’s animals and wildlife. The location of the main stage at Fort Calgary aligns with Canada’s Migratory Bird Act which does not permit disturbances to nearby nesting birds during breeding and nesting periods.
As part of Canada Day 2023, the city of Calgary will offer diverse, educational and inclusive programming for Calgarians to celebrate culture and community. All details regarding locations, activities, and performers will be announced in June.
Comments