Canada Day celebrations are back at the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede again this year.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
Come out for a great day of events at the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede to celebrate Canada Day.
The opening ceremony will start at noon at Pioneer Village with dignitaries from the City of Medicine Hat and Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede attending, along with MP Glen Motz and Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Drew Barnes. Local iconic signing group, the Tar Tones, is starting to do public appearances again and will be singing O’ Canada with the raising of the flag.
Following the opening ceremony, everyone can head over to the booths for a hotdog, bottle of water and bag of chips. Children 12 and under are free and everyone older is asked to pay $2.
At 1:30 p.m. a cake decorating challenge will be taking place. Four bakeries have responded and Darlene Keeler, president elect of the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede, hopes this event will expand next year.
The main area will have different community booths as well as games for children – egg races, putting green, hayrides and pony hops – from 1-5 p.m.
Keeler said they are making it all about Medicine Hat this year. There will be a face painter and a henna artist, with a charge at both these booths. Also on hand will be a booth by the Medicine Hat Public Library, Big Brothers and Sisters, McMan Youth, Family, and Community Services Association, the SPCA and other different community groups.
From 2-11 p.m., a beer garden will open in the infield and five local bands will be performing – there will be no charge to get onto the infield to see the performances. The mainliner is Phoenix, a popular Medicine Hat band celebrating their 40th anniversary this year. Other acts performing are Loose Change, Half Katz, Audrey Three and Taking August.
On the free stage, entertainment happens from 2-6:30 p.m., featuring performances by local groups with belly dancing, highland dancing, line dancing and songs by Ron Mason.
Up by Higdon Hall will be displays by the fire department, Medicine Hat police, and the Drag Racing Association will have some stock cars on site. Keeler hopes EMS will also be able to bring an ambulance and have it open for everyone to look inside.
Fireworks at 11 p.m. close out the day. There is something for everyone on Canada Day and almost everything is free. The weather is predicted to co-operate, so head on out and enjoy the festivities.
