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Plans taking shape for local Canada Day celebrations

Plenty to see and do around the City on July 1st
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By Emily Rogers

Lacombe Express

The City of Lacombe and surrounding areas will be hosting a variety of free family festivities for the Canada 150 celebrations on July 1st in the Lacombe region.

Festivities in Lacombe are kicking off at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast at ME Global Athletic Park where events will take place all day including a community market, a kids’ zone, a basketball tournament, a Blindman Breweries beer garden, live music concerts by local bands, Aboriginal music and dance, a Legion ceremony and a Teen Rave with DJ Waldy.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., families can take a shuttle or a horse-drawn wagon ride to take part in the many activities taking place downtown.

Events include a Colour Guard march, a flag raising ceremony and barbeque at the Legion; a guided historic walking tour, a petting zoo, a family photo booth, portrait painting, crafts at the Michener House, live demos and new displays at the blacksmith shop and an open house and new exhibits about the Lacombe Community Memory Project at the Flatiron Museum.

The Historical Society has also pulled various photo albums from the archives that will be on display for people to browse through.

“It’s neat to see how we chose to celebrate,” said Executive Director of the Lacombe Historical Society Marie Peron.

Peron added that coordinating the events took approximately a year of planning, with active meetings beginning in the fall of last year.

“It’s a huge event, and it was a major group effort.”

Celebrations will continue into the evening with the biggest outdoor music concert of the year hosted by the Lacombe Athletic Park Association starting at 7 p.m.

Local bands Tap 9 and Sweet Grass are opening for a very special homecoming concert by Lacombe’s own Gord Bamford who will perform starting at 9:30 p.m. followed by a firework display over Cranna Lake that will cap off the festivities at 11:30 p.m.

Wayne Haarstad of the Lacombe Athletic Park Association said, “I’m looking forward to everyone being there, and having the whole community in one spot.

“It’s going to be an awesome celebration - I hope everyone enjoys the shows.”

Peron added, “Canada 150 is an important celebration where the community can recognize milestones and remember Canada as a whole.”

Peron added the celebrations are for Canadians to remember all that has changed due to hard work, and all of the achievements that have been made in the last 150 years.

“Explore what Lacombe has to offer,” she said.

Guy Lapointe with the City of Lacombe said, “I’m excited by the whole event, and the opportunity; everyone is coming on board. It’s a very cool gift to give back to the community.”

Lapointe added the firework show will not be like previous years - people should be prepared to see something they have never seen in Lacombe before.

Meanwhile, Haarstad added that volunteers are always needed for working in the parking and barricaded areas.

If there are any inquires, event organizers can be contacted through the City of Lacombe’s web site.