Portage la Prairie was bursting with community spirit on Tuesday as people all in and around town gathered at Stride Place to celebrate Canada Day with a full day of events, music, and family fun.
Despite a few clouds early in the day, the weather held out long enough for families to enjoy the outdoor festivities until a late-day storm brought a twist to the celebration.
Flapjacks, bikes, and birthday cake
The day kicked off with a hearty pancake breakfast served by the Rotary Club, drawing hungry families in and having a huge line of people for the yummy pancake breakfast. Shortly after, young cyclists showed off their creative flair during the kids' bike decorating competition. Judging took place at 10:30 a.m., with three age categories: five and under, six to nine, and 10 to 14.
Opening ceremonies began at 11:30 a.m., followed by a lively crowd joining in for the noon hour of cake cutting.
Zapphira Major, Recreation Manager with the Portage Regional Recreation Authority (PRRA), says the turnout exceeded expectations given the hot weather.
“Overall, we’re really happy with the turnout,” notes Major. “It was hot, so I wasn’t sure what that was going to result in, but overall we’re really happy with turnout.”
A day packed with activities
Major says the day started with a well-attended pancake breakfast hosted by the Portage Rotary Club, setting the tone for the celebrations.
“The Bear Clan had a great turnout for their BBQ as well,” adds Major. “We were really happy to see so many people, despite the heat, stick around and listen to the live music because they did a fantastic job.”
While the kids’ bike decorating contest had fewer participants than hoped, the creativity and effort were notable.
“The bike decorating competition didn’t have a ton of turnout, but they were very cute and some people put in a lot of effort, so we enjoyed that,” continues Major. “The face painting and bouncy castles were a hit as usual.”
Community spirit shines
The crowd showed their patriotic spirit with flags and festive attire.
“Some people dress up,” remarks Major. “It’s great to see.”
She notes the event draws a diverse mix of families celebrating together.
Team effort behind the scenes
Major credits a wide range of community groups and volunteers for making the day possible.
“A big thank you to everybody who came out to help us with pulling off the day,” she continues. “The Rotary, the Bear Clan, Mitch Tilk is the chair of the Active Transportation Committee; he came out to judge our bike decorating competition. The representation from the City, RM and Province for our opening ceremonies and the colour party from the Legion, Army and RCMP.”
Funding for the event comes from multiple sources, including Heritage Canada, the City of Portage la Prairie, and the PRRA.
Music, food, and fun for all ages
Live entertainment kept the energy high all afternoon. The Rainy Day Apparel hit the stage first, followed by Linden Drive, Two Dollar Bill and his Bad Pennies, Jacinda Houle, and Roadside Prophets, who closed out the lineup with crowd-pleasing favourites.
Families packed the grounds for the popular fundraising BBQ hosted by Bear Clan’s Bear Necessities team. Meanwhile, the Kids' Play Zone was a major draw, offering bouncy castles, face painting, crafts, and games throughout the afternoon. All activities had line-ups that seemed to last for days, as kids couldn't wait to jump on the bouncy castles and have their faces painted.
Fireworks light up Crescent Lake
By nightfall, the weather had calmed down, and the much-anticipated fireworks show went ahead as planned. The colourful bursts of the fireworks lit up Crescent Lake and drew cheers from the crowd gathered below.
“A lot of people were questioning that because the storm rolled around so relatively late in the evening,” mentions Major. “The fireworks went off without a hitch.”
Even with a few unexpected weather turns, Canada Day in Portage la Prairie delivered a memorable mix of community, celebration, and summer spirit.
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