A sea of men and women and children of all ages decked out in red and white, with the mandatory silly hat, temporary tattoo, and little paper flags?
Concerts, cakes, fireworks, and for some, booze and boisterousness?
This is Canada Day and for, well, new Canadians like me and big J, we happily jump into the festivities, hoping to remember the warmth and pomp of Filipino fiestas. There's no lechon here, but burgers on the bbq are just as fine. The past couple of years we've had family over at our house for barbies, but this year, we chose to celebrate with the community, this being baby J's and my parents' first Canada Day. We skipped the big party downtown because we don't do well with huge crowds, and we have all the goods right here in our lovely Sidney by the Sea.
Thursday saw us drinking in the sights, sounds, and smells of the summer market. It's always a treat to stroll right down Beacon Ave. and browse through the booths. I love the handmade jewelries though I have yet to make a purchase; perhaps before the last market day in August I should reward myself with new earrings? Saltspring Cheese Co. makes an appearance this year, and I did polish off the last of that Tapenade and Anchovy Goat Cheese that we got when we were over at their beautiful island. And Ohh La La Cupcakes are truly oh-la-la! We picked up pulled pork sandwiches for dinner and watched Mufaro Marimba, and wait! There's no room for dessert! We've got to come back for mini-donuts, beaver and whale tails and Wanna Wafel.
Then we head down to Beacon Park for a night of jazz tunes delivered by Soul 62, the incredible band from Belmont Secondary. Some kids are dancing in front of the bandshell, some are playing tag, the adults are sipping coffees and hot chocolates and tapping their feet to the music. Haro Strait and the distant Mt Baker in the state of Washington provide a breathtaking backdrop to such a lovely evening. We're all waiting for sunset. Why? Fireworks, of course! As nighttime descends, the band wraps up their concert and we all cheer when the sky lights up in brilliant bursts of color and light. The bangs bounce against Sidney Pier Hotel and seem louder. I glance at baby J worriedly but the noise does not bother him; he is entranced with the display and his big, round eyes reflect the fiery showers. Big J is cuddled with her best friend on the ground underneath warm blankets; trust them to find each other in big crowds like these. As the last bang and pop echo through the night, I feel so blessed to live in this wonderful little town, and offer up a quick prayer of thanks.
Canada Day finds us at the parade. Funny how the highlight of the parade for me was when a bald eagle flew above us, chased by a flock of angry crows. The eagle dropped something on the ground as it tried to escape. It was a big piece of fish head, which apparently landed on a poor woman sitting in an outdoor cafe! I would have taken a picture of the fish but this gentleman rushed past me with a bag and scooped up the offending head.
In the afternoon, we head back to Beacon Park for the build-a-boat race, which we've heard lots of but never saw. Well, we will be back next year to watch it because it was lots of fun! Who knew you could make a seaworthy boat (for the 1 minute it took the winning team to finish the race) out of $100 worth of materials from the local lumber shop and good old hand tools. It was great cheering them on, especially the last team struggling to paddle back to shore in their garbage can-and-wood contraption, or the comical Rocktopus guys trying to swim while holding up their wooden 'submarine'. Definitely something that can be a tradition on Canada Day.
Now I say goodnight Canada, and happy 144th birthday! My family are all in bed, exhausted, sunburned, and filled with memories of today.
