3 of 8

Write now Article Tools

For some people Canada Day is just a holiday, a day off from work and a day for fun. For some people Canada Day is as a day for celebration, a celebration of being Canadian. If you ask random people anywhere in Canada, it is most likely that no one really knows what the meaning of Canada day is. In order to fully understand the day, we have to know what it means.

Canada Day was first known as Dominion Day in 1879. It is a celebration of the Queen's call to her loving subject in order to participate in the celebration of the union foundation of the British North America provinces. The name Dominion day was changed to Canada day on October 1982.

On my family's first year in Canada, we were staying in Winnipeg Manitoba. There I have witnessed the people's enthusiasm into celebrating Canada day. Various festivals are held everywhere. Our family together with some family friends chose to join the celebration in Assiniboine Park and Assiniboine Zoo. There were marching bands and rock bands playing in the concert stage. There was free entrance to the zoo. There were a lot of families gathered in the field having picnics. There were a lot of kids running in the field and playing with their friends and family. We celebrated Canada Day that year by checking the Canadian trademark animal which is the moose in the zoo. We also watched other animals and we played together. We have seen the display of the Canadian flag in everyone's car.

A year after, we celebrated Canada Day in Toronto. It was a little bit different than the celebrations in the small city of Winnipeg. There were more choices of festival here. At the same time a football match was held in the Canadian Exhibition Place. We went to the harbour to watch some shows. In order to feel more part of the celebration I chose to wear a red and white stripes shirt to signify the color of the Canadian flag. We waited in the harbour front to watch the fireworks from Toronto islands.

Whatever Canada Day might mean to every individual, it cannot be denied that it is a day of unity. Canada Day is a day of celebrating our differences. It also helps create a fun bonding time with family and friends. It does not matter much on what you choose to do on the day itself as long as you spend the day with people you cherish and do things you love to do.
Here's a list of things you might consider fun to do on Canada Day (mostly on Ontario):

1. Go to a theme park (Canada's Wonderland and Ontario Place have fireworks on Canada Day)
2. Visit Casa Loma.
3. Have a barbeque or picnic and invite friends and family over.
4. Go camping.
5. Go the lake or the beach.
6. Chill in the harbour front.
7. Cruise the lake.
8. Watch and participate on festivals and parades.
9. Cook your favourite Canadian food.
10. Go cross-border shopping.
11. JUST HAVE FUN!

Learn more about this author, Joelle Feliz Javier.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about How to celebrate Canada Day?
We want to hear your view. Write now!