The weather for Canada Day 2024 was the best it had been for many years. Bright sunny day, temperatures in the mid 20's.
With Parliament Hill (and many other places) under rehabilitation for the past 5 or so years, and continuing for another 10, the "action" takes place 1.5km west of the Hill on Lebreton Flats. The speeches and stage entertainment starts in the afternoon. We avoided the crowds and were literally first in the security line (for those without backpacks) to enter Lebreton Flats.
Being so early in the morning, we do miss the "ambience" of the crowds in the afternoon.
Despite the early hour, a line up quickly formed for free coffee and juices at Tim Hortons
Free samples were also available from GoGo (fruit sauce in a squeeze tube) and gummies from Haribo, Beavertails had no free samples...
A line up also quickly formed for kids, and older kids, wanting to sit in a fighter jet cockpit
While it hadn't opened yet, there was a giant soccer ball game with giant size shoes for kids to play
There were several areas with games for people to play. Among them were ball toss and bean bag toss courtesy of Tim Hortons
Less active attraction for kids and adults were some "board" games
Body marbling was back again and drew a long line of older kids
A Caribbean dance troupe was the first performance on a side stage
A demonstration of the Innuit High Kick was interesting
A First Nations group had Medicine Wheel bracelets available for making. An explanation was given for the various colours and arrangement (I've summarized it - on the green background - quoting from a Univ of Calgary Library/Research website)
Next door was a tent with many DJ "mixers" available for people to try out
We met several characters along the way....
The number of porta potties at events like this is always amazing. But I noticed a group of porta potties, apparently for the stage crew, ranging from the normal types, to posh white, to larger air-conditioned trailer mounted units. There also seemed to be a good supply of porta potties on reserve behind the scenes
The Museums were all open and free. We discovered the Supreme Court was also open.
The "lobby" of the Courthouse is quite impressive
The wood paneling in the Supreme Court room is Canadian walnut, while the architect chose African and Australian wood for the Federal Court of Appeal
Never having visited the museum in the Bank of Canada, we took advantage of it being open.
They were even giving out samples !!!
The museum has many interactive displays, which if you interacted with them all, a certificate in Economics should have been awarded
Two of the piggy banks on display caught the eye
People were invited to design a banknote, and a very strange map of Canada had a game of find the objects
Various forms or currency from history, and many countries were on display. Two banknotes caught our eye, one because of the colour and the other because of the denomination
Canadian banknotes were also displayed
1935
1954
1969 - 1979
1986 - 1991
2001 - 2006
