The City of Kamloops says planning is currently in full swing for the return of the in-person Canada Day event at Riverside Park this July after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19.

In a statement, Community Events Coordinator, Dewi Evans, says the full-day event will begin with a pancake breakfast followed by arts, culture displays, and community festivities leading into the Music in the Park season opener.

“The annual in-person event in Riverside Park was dearly missed in 2020 and 2021,” Evans said. “For the past two years, we hosted virtual events with strong support; however, it was no match for the vibrancy that the community typically brings to Riverside Park.”

“We are so excited to be working with the Kamloops Arts Council and Kamloops Multicultural Society to bring our community together again. We also recognize that Canada Day is forever changed with the confirmation of Le Estcwicwéy̓ (The Missing), and we will work with Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc to ensure Canada’s true history is incorporated.”

In June last year, Tk’emlups te Secwepemc Kukpi7 Rosanne Casimir said she wanted Canadians to continue to acknowledge Canada Day, calling it the best way to honour the diversity of people who live in the country..

“In particular…[for] our future generations, [it is important] to understand our real collective history,” Casimir said, three weeks after Tk’emlups announced the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School in May 2021.

“For TteS, we would like to encourage all to learn more about the colonial legacy of the residential school and the intergenerational impacts that it has had.”

Evans says the City is currently accepting applications from community groups who are interested in joining the 2022 event. Priority will be given to “engaging, interactive booths” as well as organizations that promote a creative message of community spirit to the 30,000 expected attendees.

Applications are due by May 2.