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megram - 55JulGTA - Index

What’s On
July/August
A sampling of the sights and sounds within the Greater Toronto Area (GTA)
Canada Day
METRO TORONTO
With July 1 being Canada’s 141st birthday as a nation,communities
large and small throughout the GTA are celebrating
the holiday in traditional style. For instance, in Metro
Toronto there are live music performances and a dazzling
fireworks show at Mel Lastman Square (416 338-0338 for
more information), free face painting, busker activity and
birthday cake at the Toronto Zoo (416 392-5929), and
crafts, games, music and a swearing-in ceremony for new
Canadians at Black Creek Pioneer Village (416 667-6295).
HALTON REGION
Burlington is offering a free Strawberry Social at the
Joseph Brant Museum to celebrate Canada’s birthday.
Included in the program are games, festive crafts, museum
tours, special live entertainment, and fresh strawberries
and ice cream! More information can be obtained by calling
905 634-3556 or by checking the website at
www.museumsofburlington.com.
The Town of Acton is marking Canada Day with a free
concert featuring local performers at Prospect Park beginning
at 6 p.m.There is also a fireworks display put on by
the Acton Firefighters Association. Further information is
available by checking www.downtownacton.ca.
YORK REGION
From 11 a.m.to 4 p.m.,the Town of Newcastle commemorates
Canada’s birthday festivities with inflatable bouncers,
rock climbing, an extreme bike demonstration and live
entertainment at Fairy Lake Park. At dusk, the town presents
its annual Fireworks Extravaganza at George
Richardson Park. More details are available by calling 905
895-5193.
The Village of Unionville, which boasts many buildings
older than Canada itself, is marking the nation’s birthday
with music and entertainment, and strollers can visit the
July/August 2008 • 35 • Fifty-Five Plus Magazine
many shops that remain open on the holiday.A highlight of
the festivities is a performance by First Nations dancers.
More information is available by calling 905 477-0117.
DURHAM REGION
The City of Pickering provides a showcase of local and
regional entertainers as part of its annual Canada Day celebrations
at Kinsmen Park.The free outdoor event runs from
7 to 10 p.m. Details can be obtained on the city’s website
at www.cityofpickering.com or by calling 905 420-4660
ext. 2099.
Special Events
METRO TORONTO
An event the entire GTA waits for each year is the granddaddy
of all fairs in Ontario, the Canadian National
Exhibition. This year “The Ex” runs from August 15 to
September 1. The programs and exhibits of the CNE
encompass the 192 acres of Exhibition Place in Toronto,
including eight buildings and structures designated as historical
sites under the Ontario Heritage Act. The CNE’s
roots are in agriculture and this continues to be a strong
component of the fair, which features a working farm and
the famous Horse Show. Central to any fair is its midway
and The Ex offers more than 50 rides and 80 games of
chance in two venues — one for adults and the other for
youngsters. Each midway presents a variety of foods
unique to the fair. The Ex presents a bang-up finish each
year with its Canadian International Air Show over the
three days of the Labour Day weekend.It’s the largest overthe-water
air show in the world and features Canada’s top
precision flying team,The Snowbirds. Further information
about the many exciting acts and events at this year’s CNE
are available on the website at www.theex.com or by calling
416 393-6300.
Visit Afrofest at Queens Park (University Avenue and
College Street) on July 5 and 6. It’s billed as the largest single
gathering of Africans in Canada and the longest-running