Daily Brew10 free things to do across Canada this summer
Have you already blown through your usual go-to events this summer? Is the “I’m bored, there’s nothing to do” whine from the kids getting tedious already?
Here are 10 great reasons to turn off the television, put down the gadgets and get out of the house. Grab your cooler, lawn chair, bathing suit, and camera and enjoy the season while it lasts.
Newfoundland
Jellybean Row
Do you set your camera to black and white to appear artsy and unique? Don’t do that in St. John’s, where you’ll want to capture all the colour of Jellybean Row, the affectionate name of the brightly-painted row houses in the downtown core.
You’ll want to stop often for photos, so wear comfortable shoes and walk around the provincial capital to explore the steep hills and hidden alleyways. After you’ve had a good workout, treat yourself to a refreshment on lively George Street. You’ll find even more live entertainment and fun than usual during the George Street Festival, July 30-August 4, 2015. While it isn’t free, it’s certainly a fun week, and a great time to be in St. John’s!
http://www.georgestreetlive.ca
Nova Scotia
Uncommon Common Art
There’s a big art gallery in Nova Scotia - really big. In fact, it’s all of Kings County, which includes Grand Pre, Berwick and Wolfville on the shore of the Bay of Fundy.
Grab a map at local businesses or Visitor Information Centres and start exploring the “seasonal environmental art project,” where artists create site-specific art installations.
If you’re looking for a great way to get the kids involved in the adventure, a Geocache is also available at each of the 16 sites.
The area is approximately one hour from Halifax.
The project runs until mid-October.
http://www.uncommoncommonart.com/index.html
Prince Edward Island
Basin Head Day Park
Cavendish Beach is famous for its white sands, but here’s a (free) gem near Souris that you may not have heard of.
This white sandy beach has lifeguards on duty until September 1. You’ll find picnic tables, a canteen, outdoor showers and an ice cream stand. Bring a towel, beach toys for the kids and a trashy novel and relax beside the ocean.
For longer trips, there is camping (for a fee) 2 km away at Red Point Provincial Park.
Off Route 16, east of Souris. about 1 hour, 15 minutes from Charlottetown.
Lifeguards: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
http://www.tourismpei.com/provincial-park/basin-head
New Brunswick
Annual Sandpiper Festival
Witness 250,000 shorebirds stop on the shores of the Bay of Fundy to double their weight eating mudshrimp before resuming their annual migration from the Canadian Arctic to South America. In high tide, you’ll see flocks of tens of thousands of the little birds take flight. Eighty per cent of the world’s Semipalmated Sandpipers flock to the nutrient-rich coastline in Johnson's Mills, writes the Nature Conservancy of Canada, calling the area a birder’s paradise.
In the village of Dorchester you’ll find a photo exhibit, Victorian tea & talk, rubber duck race, a children’s carnival, an egg hunt and a pancake breakfast during the festival weekend.
http://dorchester.ca/attractions/
Dorchester, N.B. is about a half an hour drive from Moncton, NB.
Festival runs July 24-26, 2015
Quebec
Old Québec
While far from an unknown gem in Canada, this UNESCO World Heritage Treasure is a must-see for Canadians. Filled with cobblestone streets and centuries-old buildings (as well as galleries and boutiques), Vieux-Québec is the only walled North American city north of Mexico.
Take a picnic to enjoy on the 2.5 km Promenade Samuel-De Champlain Park, created in 2008 for the city’s 400th anniversary. The park is located in the Lower Town, starting from the Old Port district and goes along the St. Lawrence River.
Lower Town starting from the Old Port district going all the way to the bridges, along the St. Lawrence River.
Ontario
The Collingwood Elvis Festival
The street stage is filled with free entertainment for the entire festival weekend. Bring your lawn chair and overdose on Elvis tributes for the daytime show, and dance the night away (blue suede shoes optional) with a live band playing Elvis songs and others from the ‘50s and ‘60s. See how many selfies you can take with the various Elvis tribute artists around Collingwood.
Collingwood, ON is about 160 km north of Toronto.
Thursday, July 23 - Sunday, July 26
http://www.collingwoodelvisfestival.com
Manitoba
Roadside Attractions in Manitoba
Hit the road and see Manitoba while searching the prairie province for large statues. Here are a few, click on the link below for even more giant fun.
Selkirk: Chuck the Channel Cat, an 11-metre fish statue in the “Catfish Capital of North America.”
Winnipeg: Winnie-the-Bear and First World War Lieutenant Harry Colebourn. The bear, named after the soldier’s adopted home town of Winnipeg, was taken to the London Zoo, where she became the star of A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh books.
Melita: Sunny, the 33 ft. Banana (10 metres) and Breezy the Blue Jay.
Glenboro: Sara, a 7-metre tall camel
Flin Flon: Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin, a 7.5 metre statue of the the L’il Abner character that inspired the name of the city.
Arborg: The “world’s largest curling rock” is 4.2 metres across by 2.1 metres tall and weighs 1.5 tonnes.
Rossburn: Duke the Giant Black Bear. Shot by a poacher in 1992 in Riding Mountain National Park, at 368 kg, Duke was the largest black bear measured at that time. (Record has been broken)
Komarno: This giant mosquito with a wingspan of 4.6 metres is a weather vane.
Manitoba Tourism gets into Roadside Madness with a contest:
http://www.manitobahot.com/2015/03/roadside-madness-first-round/
Saskatchewan
Sunset-Retreat Ceremony
The RCMP presents this colourful 45-minute ceremony in Regina every Tuesday in the summer, weather permitting. It includes a cadet marching band, a canon drill, the lowering of the Canadian flag, the March Past and RCMP cadets performing dismounted cavalry drills while dressed in the famous scarlet tunic.
Meet Turbo and Salute, two retired Musical Ride horses after the performance.
Mini history lesson, courtesy of the RCMP website: A British military tradition, this “military tattoo” dates back to the 18th century. The term tattoo is an old Dutch word meaning “turn off the taps.” At sunset, the tavern owners would close down for the night at the sound of the lone drummer sent out into the streets to play a tattoo, and military personnel would return to their posts.
Parade Square, in front of the RCMP Chapel
Parking: 5907 Dewdney Ave., Regina
July 14, 21, 28; August 4, 11
Doors open at 5:30, show starts at 6:45.
Bring a chair or blanket, seating not provided
http://www.tourismsaskatchewan.com/things-to-do/events/103344/rcmp-sunset-retreat-ceremonies-2015
Alberta
Fringe Theatre Festival, the Street Performers Festival and the Taste of Edmonton
Edmonton, known as Festival City, has the largest green/park space in North America.
But if you’re looking to get out of town, try Discovery Canyon, a seasonal water park in Red Deer. There’s a natural river-fed water pool, beach, a playground and bubbling pools of water at the bottom of a canyon. Great for kids too, the water is never deeper than 45 cm. Bring your own inflatable tube or rent one for $5.
Red Deer is about half way between Edmonton and Calgary, 150 km to each city.
Open 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, No lifeguards on duty.
http://www.rbgra.ca/discovery-canyon/
British Columbia
Sleepy Hollow Rod Run Show and Shine
Grab your lawn chair and cooler and get on the ferry to the Sunshine Coast to see this classic car festival in Sechelt. On Friday afternoon, fans cheer from lawn chairs and couches as more than 450 classic cars travel the Halfmoon Bay Fire Hall and back for the Rod Run. A Show & Shine on Saturday lets owners show off their pride and joy, and the drag race on Sunday at the airport. Categories include street machines, hotrods and funny cars.
From West Vancouver, Sechelt, B.C., on the Sunshine Coast, is a 40 minute ferry ride plus a 27 km drive on Highway 101.
August 7-9, 2015
http://www.coasterscarclub.ca/sleepy-hollow/
Are there any free festivals or activities in your city? Tell us about it in the comments below!
