City ready to celebrate Canada Day again

By Lethbridge Herald on June 29, 2022.

Herald file photo Participants head out from the start line as they make their way through Henderson Park in a community run as part of a past year’s Canada Day celebration.

Al Beeber – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – abeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

It’s time to get the party started again.

A full year after COVID-19 restrictions briefly lifted in time for the national holiday, Lethbridge is ready to let loose on Canada Day with events at both Henderson Lake and Galt Gardens.

And so far, the weather looks like it will co-operate with mostly sunny skies and a high of 27 expected in Lethbridge.

Mayor Blaine Hyggen can’t wait to see the city celebrate.

On Monday after the launch of the free CultureLINK bus service, the mayor said “it’s super important. Let’s face it, everybody wants to get out and about,” said the mayor.

“We’ve been cooped up for far too long with COVID and now’s the time to just get out and about. We started it off here with this CultureLINK bus service that we’ve got to transport us around the different city services and cultural experiences,” the mayor added.

“It’s just a fantastic thing to have – as a start. But now we’ve got Canada Day to come which is fantastic because again, we haven’t done anything” for a couple of years, added the mayor.

“It’s going to be great to have that back,” added the mayor.

With restrictions lifted so close to Canada Day last year, there wasn’t time to organize full-out events for the national holiday.

“These things need planning time. We’re talking six, eight, 10 months out so when we find out we’re going to be open for summer, you’re not getting this planned here in a couple days. So unfortunately, we didn’t have much of anything last year.

“So this is going to be full-on from what we’ve been understanding,” added the mayor.

The mayor said he’s excited to see the Henderson Lake swimming pool open again.

“It’s fantastic to drive by there and see families enjoying the weather and we’ve had some good weather out there with more to come.”

He’s also excited about seeing the return of the Whoop-Up Days parade and the of professional rodeo to the city, with those events happening in August.

Festivities at Henderson Lake will start at noon with a food hub, kids zone, live performers and later in the evening, a fireworks show. The kids zone will have a bouncy castle, face painting and family-friendly theatre shows.

Numerous food trucks will be on hand to satisfy appetites for different flavour. 

A show and shine, hosted by the LeBaron’s Car Club, will get things rolling in Galt Gardens from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. There will also be a free breakfast at 9 a.m. hosted by the Interfaith Food Bank.

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