On July 1, head to any number of these big, free events hosted by the City of Burnaby.
The celebrations promise to showcase the best of the community, including games, activities, food, live performances and – to cap it all off – fireworks.
Edmonds Plaza and Park
From 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., head to Edmonds Plaza and Park at 7433 Edmonds St. to enjoy live music, children’s entertainment with Caroline Lempert (at 12:40 p.m.) and a performance by Kavital School of Dance (1:40 to 1:50 p.m.) At 1:55 p.m., don’t miss a traditional Thai dance performance.
Burnaby Village Museum
The Burnaby Village Museum at 6501 Deer Lake Ave. will feature its new interactive exhibit, Truths Not Often Told: Being South Asian in Burnaby, which shares the history and legacy of Burnaby’s South Asian Canadian community.
The museum will host plenty of children’s activities, including face painting and more, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be a variety of displays and information booths, including the Pacific Spirit Quilters’ Guild, the city’s Solid Waste and Recycling Program.
Live performances will include Coastal Wolf Pack (11:05 a.m.), a Chinese fan and ribbon dance by Jessica Yue (11:25 a.m.), Chinese drumming by Tian-Jin Formation Drums (1:20 p.m.), a sitar duo by Mohammed Assani (after formal remarks at 2 p.m.), a South Asian dance by Sudnya Dance academy (3 p.m.), and a Middle Easter dance performance by Academy of Middle Easter Dance (3:50 p.m.)
Formal remarks are set for 2 p.m. at the Vorce stage, and Canada Day cupcakes will be served at 2:30 p.m.
The Wall: Public Art Installation
July 1, 2023, commemorates the 100th anniversary of the Chinese Exclusion Act, which banned Chinese people from immigrating to Canada.
Artists Yi Chen and Muchen Zhang have created an ice installation art project symbolizing unity, understanding and reconciliation between the City of Burnaby and Chinese Canadians.
The artwork will take the form of an ice wall, symbolizing the historical barriers imposed on the Chinese community. As the ice melts, the artists signify “hope for a brighter future and the dismantling of these discriminatory barriers,” according to a press release.
To engage with the installation, head to the Burnaby Village Museum from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
StreetFest on Central
For the second year in a row, Central Boulevard in Metrotown will be blocked off to cars and prepped for a community festival extravaganza – with this year’s concert headlined by Canadian singer-songwriter icon Lights.
The stage at Central Park will be also graced by the Boom Booms (6:30 p.m.), Shawnee Kish (7:30 p.m.), Lights at 9 p.m., and the fireworks show will start at 10:15 p.m.
Pop-up musicians will rove around Central Boulevard’s community area from 6:30 to 10 p.m., along with a wide variety of performances, demonstrations, crafts, dance, art, photo booths and more.
With more than a dozen food trucks, with vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free and dairy-free options, there’s tons of ways to support local restaurants and businesses.
For more information, check out the city's website.
