Canada Day gets a bigger bang this year, to celebrate the Prince George centennial as well as the nation's 148th birthday.
The Multicultural Heritage Society has tapped into diversification to bring out the best of this annual ka-bang, partnering with the Coldsnap Music Festival to turn the all-day festival of culture into a late-night festival, too. For the first time, live entertainers will fill the gap between the Canada Day In the Park event and the fireworks show when the sky finally gets dark.
"This is a one-time thing because of the 100th anniversary," said Marlies Greulich, executive director of the MHS. "It's a wonderful bonus we are able to offer, to make this event that much more special."
The daytime spread of talent at the front of the park is the usual bountiful table of international treats, to whet the appetite for the tastes and smells of the global food festival going on at the back of the park. It's a global village in what was once the Lheidli T'enneh First Nation's main village.
Once the daytime music and dancing is done, Coldsnap rolls out two of its festival favourites for a solid evening concert.
"We start the evening event with Barefoot Caravan, then the headliner is Navaz leading us to the fireworks," said Greulich. "They were chosen by Coldsnap's organizers because they both represent a fusion of multicultural themes."
Coldsnap's artistic director Sue Judge said it was a triumph of Canadian culture to have bands like these available, with their many intersections of cultures and artistic styles blended into their creative, popular sound.
"Coldsnap is really stoked to be part of this celebration, and we think it most fitting that the biggest Canada Day celebration in town is presented by the Multicultural Heritage Society. I think that says a lot about Prince George and Canadians in general," said Judge. "The bands were chosen as they are both high energy bands with a multicultural flavour and high dance-ability."
It was another strategic partnership by Coldsnap, helping the 2015 Canada Winter Games music presentations, that led to this latest event. Navaz, a Prince George band that mixes Persian sounds with gypsy tones and jazz tinges, got discovered by their own town on that winter stage. They have been active in the local music scene for years, but it was during the Canada Winter Games mainstage festival that they proved their headliner capabilities.
"Navaz brought the house down at the Canada Winter Games," said Judge. "They had the plaza electrified with their energy and exotic music."
Barefoot Caravan is coming in from Vernon, and they are so effective at their multinational musings that the Coldsnap festival even hired them in 2013 to perform for their own volunteer party, making them the entertainers the entertainers look to for entertainment.
Judge said the Barefoot Caravan hype was real. They perform "indigenous and original songs in various languages that represent the people of the world. They combine these traditional songs and chants with upbeat rhythms and three-part harmonies."
Then, thanks to the financial backing of Canfor, the night sky at the park will be shot full of blazing light. The 11 p.m. fireworks show also got a cash injection from the federal government so it could add some 100-year pizzazz.
"There will be some extra special shells at the end of the display, again because of the 100th anniversary," said Greulich.
She reminded people that dogs are not allowed in the freshly re-named Lheidli T'enneh Memorial Park (formerly Fort George Park), so please leave them at home when you come down to eat the international foods, listen to the world beats and take in the multicultural sights. It begins at 11 a.m.
Entertainment schedule
11 a.m: P.G. community band
Noon: Opening ceremonies
12:40 p.m: Raqqaset al Qamar
Belly Dancers
1 p.m: Ivan Paquette
1:15 p.m: Bollywood Dream Dancers
1:30 p.m: Yalenka Ukrainian Dancers
1:45 p.m: Pena Gitana -
Flamenco Dancev
2 p.m: Philippine Cultural Dance Group
2:15 p.m: South Pacific Dance Group
2:30 p.m: Bollywood Dream Dancers
2:45 p.m: Nepali Folk Dancing (Sunita Pun)
3 p.m: Khast'an Drum Group
3:15 p.m: Zahirah Middle Eastern
Belly Dancers
3:30 p.m: Pow Wow Dancers
(Kelsey Abraham)
3:45 p.m: Pikake's School of Hula
& Tahitian Dance / Aurora Dance
Company
4 p.m: Thai Fire Poi Spinning (Chong)
4:15 p.m: Pow Wow Dancers (Kelsey Abraham)
4:30 p.m: Lorna Carbutt's
Scottish Dancers & Dance Your Hart Out
4:45 p.m: Filipino Canadian Association
5 p.m: Judy Russell's Flamenco Group
5:10 p.m: Bel Cantos Choir
5:20 p.m: Foxy De-Rossi
5:30 p.m: Thai Fire Poi Spinning (Chong)
6 p.m: Intermission
Food vendors
Lheidli T'enneh Elders Society
Chinese Benevolent Association
Metis Cuisine
Greek Orthodox Community Association
Indian Cuisine
Kiwanis Club (Canadian items)
Northern BC Hindu Society
PG Chee Kong Tong
Yalenka Ukrainian Dancers Society
Multicultural Heritage Society kids concession
(Also in the park on Canada Day: Mapal Ice Cream and Doughnuts, Mountain Air Kettle Corn and The Gourmet Candyman)
