Ride The Canada Day Bus!

Are you planning to attend the Spruce Grove Canada Day and Street Performers Festival on June 30 and July 1? If so, then you might want to think about how you will be getting there. On-site parking is going to be very limited. If you live within walking distance, consider exercising and going by foot-power. If you live within biking distance then consider hopping on your two-or three-wheeler. The site itself is bike-free but there will be lots of bike racks available. If you are coming from out of town, or live too far away to walk, then consider riding the Canada Day bus. For the third year in a row, the City will be providing a free shuttle service between the Festival site at Spruce Grove Composite High School and Spruce Grove’s City Hall, Greystone Centennial Middle School and Living Waters Christian Academy.

The bus will run past each location at approximately 30-minute intervals, stopping for a few minutes at each to collect waiting passengers. The bus will operate, in a circuit, between 5 and 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30 and between 9:30 a.m. and midnight on Wednesday, July 1.

New this year, the Festival has chosen to use a local school bus company. This will allow us to accommodate more people in each vehicle. And, we are also excited about the addition of a second bus from 7 – midnight on Wednesday, July 1.

Both busses will be available for a quick return to pick-up locations after 11:15 p.m. After the RONA fireworks display one bus will head straight to Living Waters and the second will go straight to Greystone and then on to City Hall. So, not only will the shuttle-bus get you to the site quickly and easily, it will also get you back to your car at the end of the day fast and headache-free.

Call Brandi at 780-962-7616 for further information regarding the Canada Day and Street Performer Festival bus or visit www.sprucegrove.org/celebrate.

Familiar Favourites and New Treats at the Spruce Grove Canada Day and Street Performers Festival

There is something to be said for the old adage, “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.” To that effect, The City of Spruce Grove has found a formula that really works for its Canada Day celebrations and plans to stick with it. The Spruce Grove Canada Day and Street Performers Festival activities kick-off on the evening of Tuesday, June 30th. They include the 3rd annual Vaudeville Variety Show at 7 p.m., the 2nd annual $5 Community BBQ (pulled pork, salads, buns, baked beans and dessert) from 5 to 8 p.m. and the 1st annual Social Capital Awards presentation to an outstanding community volunteer organization.

Wednesday, July 1 begins bright and early with the ever-popular $2 Pancake Breakfast. New this year will be morning entertainment provided by the combined bands of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment and King’s Own Calgary Regiment, directed by Captain Michael Chute, CD.

A slight tweak to this year’s festival schedule now means that the vendors on-site will open early at 9 a.m. Bring your cash and plan to shop at such returning-favourites as Original Canadian Kettle Korn, Big E’s Mini D’s (mini doughnuts), the Girl Guides (snow cones), the Association For Supportive Community Connections, and the Sea Cadets (hamburgers and hotdogs), Work of Art Tattoos, Tara’s Treats (ice cream), The Thai Boutique, Bolli Imports and our 2 novelty toy vendors. Then, try something new at Mediterranean BBQ (chicken, lamb, pitas, veggies), WD’s Grill & Catering (Caribbean), Lemmon Heaven (lemonade), and Morse Code Dezynz (ladies beach wear).

Decorate your children between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. so they can participate in the Kids’ Parade and then head to the outdoor stage at noon for the official Canada Day Ceremonies and some free birthday cake.

Bring your loonies, toonies and $5-bills and get ready to giggle, guffaw and be amazed by Street Performers from across Canada and around the world between 12:30 and 5 p.m. Get your children’s faces painted and let them blow off some steam chasing bubbles, playing in the sand, or bouncing in the bouncy tents. Returning to the RE/MAX KidZone this year will be the hilarious Cap’n Arrr, Aerials Gymnastics demonstrations, and juggling workshops facilitated by Kim Potter.

Teenagers on site can hang with their friends in the Teen Zone where a variety of their favourite activities will be facilitated by the Log Cabin staff. They can then watch their peers perform on the main-stage when the Spruce Grove FCSS Battle of The Bands winners show off their musical skills at 6:30 p.m. Also, join the library staff to help create a masterpiece with the Library Tile Project from 1 – 3 p.m.

Grown-ups can sit back and relax with a patriotic beer in the Kinsmen Beverage tent starting at 6 p.m., and everyone is encouraged to attend the 5th Annual Awards of Excellence Ceremony at 7:30 p.m.

2009’s main-stage artists are Albertans through and through. The eclectic Polyjesters (http://www.polyjesters.com/), who perform at 8 p.m., hail from Carstairs. And, headlining country music star Gord Bamford (http://www.gordbamford.com/), who steps on stage at 9:30 p.m., still proudly lives in Lacombe.

The grand finale on July 1st will, of course, be the extremely popular and spectacular RONA Fireworks at 11 p.m.

Due to limited on-site parking, the City will once again be providing a free shuttle bus service between 5 and 9:30 p.m. on June 30th and from 9:30 am – midnight on July 1. Park your car at Living Waters Christian Academy, Greystone Centennial Middle School or City Hall and hop on the bus. Or, if you don’t live too far away from Spruce Grove Composite High School, plan to walk or ride your bike instead. The festival grounds are a bike-free (and pet-free and smoke-free) zone for safety reasons, but there will be lots of bike racks available.

If you have attended the Spruce Grove Canada Day and Street Performers Festival in the past then plan to come back this year and stay on-site a little longer. If you have yet to attend this wonderful community event, make 2009 your year to do so. It doesn’t need to be fixed. It just keeps getting better! www.sprucegrove.org/celebrate