Canada Day in Canmore
Canada Day 2023
The Canada Day celebration that you know and love is back for another summer. We are looking forward to celebrating as a community with a day jam-packed with activities for the whole family. Grab pancakes at the classic pancake breakfast and let them fuel you for the Canada Day Fun Run and Walk, then lean back in your lawn chair for the Canada Day Parade.
Canada Day Parade
The annual Canada Day parade is a vibrant display of Indigenous culture and Canadian pride, featuring festive floats, lively music, marching bands, and a lot of community spirit. This year's parade theme is "Feels Like Summer!"
Want to Register your Float?
There is no cost for float registration, but we want to plan for your space in the parade!
Parade entries will be adjudicated by a panel of jurors. The jury will be looking for and scoring on thematic relevance, creative expression, creative effort, and degree of decorating difficulty. Plaque recognition will be awarded for First Place Overall, First Place Commercial/Business, and First Place Non-Profit/Youth Organization.
Parade float registration closes on June 18, 2023
We've Changed the Parade Route!
This year the parade route is longer and better than ever
- Begins at the corner of Fairholme Dr. and 15 St.
- Continues down Fairholme Dr.
- Turns left onto Main St.
- Turns left onto Railway Ave.
- Turns left onto 10 St. at the Firehall
- Parade ends at 10 St. and 7 Ave.
Canada Day Volunteering
Canada Day Volunteer Call!
Have you been missing the parade? The sweet smell of a pancake breakfast? We need your help to make Canada Day celebrations a success! We are looking for volunteers for a variety of tasks for the day of the event.
Click here to register for a volunteer shift or to learn what shifts are available.
Canada Day Events
- The parade begins at 12 p.m.
- The Parade route starts at the corner of Fairholme Drive and 15 St. It continues down Fairholme Drive, turns onto Main Street and continues all the way to Railway Avenue. At Railway Avenue, the parade turns left, and then left again at 10 Street. The parade finishes at 10 Street and 7 Avenue.
- Bring your chair or stand and enjoy.
- Parade Dry Zone - choose to watch the parade from the area that best suits you: the dry or the wet zone. Absolutely NO WATER fights within the dry zone.
- There are a variety of rolling road closures and traffic disruptions on July 1 as related to celebrations for Canada Day
- Our parade route has been expanded in 2023, and closures will impact Main Street, Railway Avenue, and 10 Street
- Rolling road closures for the parade will begin at 10 a.m. and run through to 2 p.m.
Parade and Main Street Patio Information:
- In order to prepare Main St for parade floats, marching bands, horses, clown cars and all things parade-fantastic, we would like to respectfully ask that patio owners ensure the street-side edge of the patio space is condensed to the width of a parking stall (2.5M) from the hours of 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (or the completion of the parade, whichever comes first).
- Please ensure spectators do not sit in front of the perimeter of your designated patio space, or on any fencing used to establish the perimeter.
- For spectator and parade participant safety, we ask that patio umbrellas, flags, banners, and visual barriers are removed from the outdoor set-up from the hours of 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (or the completion of the parade, whichever comes first). The removal of these elements ensures adequate site lines for parade viewers, and increases the safety for parade participants and animals.
- We anticipate the curbside patios on Main St will be very popular destinations for our parade spectators this year. We encourage businesses to put up signage that indicates their patios are utilized for “customer seating only.”
Additional Information to Keep In Mind:
- We are expecting an influx of 5,000-7,000 visitors to join us for our parade. Our streets and sidewalks will be full!
- Please inform your staff so they may plan accordingly – they may want to retrieve long-weekend groceries or complete errands prior to July 1 (or wait until after the parade).
- Staff may want to consider taking FREE local transit, biking, walking, or carpooling if they are working downtown on July 1. And lastly, come out and join us! Parade registration is still open, so make sure you confirm a parade entry for your business by June 18!
Have a Canada Day parade question? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
- Runs from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
- Location: Centennial Park
- Hosted by the Rotary Club of Canmore and Calgary Stampede breakfast crew.
- Bring your own chairs and blankets to take in a traditional Stampede pancake breakfast picnic.
- 9 a.m. to noon
- Centennial Park
- Choose from 3, 5, and 10 km distances in support of Canmore Nordic Ski Club.
- Register at grizzlyevents.ca
Why not?
The Canada Day fireworks have always been the responsibility of the Canada Day Society and not the Town of Canmore, although the town supports the fireworks effort through staffing and permitting. The cost for fireworks (~$1000 per minute) has been covered by a series of grants applied for by the Canada Day Society. As of 2023, the society has disbanded.
Traffic Disruptions
- Heads Up! Vehicle access to downtown Canmore will be impacted on July 1. The road closures will accommodate our annual Canada Day Parade. Expect LIMITED TO NO vehicle access to downtown during on Canada Day between 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. You may still access and egress around the downtown area using HWY 1/Three Sisters Parkway.
- Plan ahead! Get your long-weekend groceries prior to July 1 (or after the parade). Use Three Sisters Parkway, or ride, bike or walk.
- Consider taking FREE local transit, biking, walking, or carpooling. Click here for information on Roam Transit routes.
- Main St. (8 St.) between 6 Ave and 8 Ave. for pedestrian-only traffic
- Main St. (8 St.) from 6 Ave. to Railway Ave.
- 15 St. from 11 Ave. to 8 Ave.
- 16 St. Cul-de-sac
- Fairholme Drive from 17 St. to 10 St.
- Mount Rundle Place
- Mount Peechee Place
- 8 Ave. from Industrial Place to 15 St.
- 8 Ave. from 10 St. to Veterans Way (7 St.)
- Railway Ave. (at A&W) from Bow Valley Trail To 10 St.
- 6 Ave. from Main S. (8 St.) to Centennial Park
- 10 St. from Railway Ave. to 8 Ave.
- 12 A Street
- Alleyway between 12 A Street and 13 Street
- 13 Street
- Spring Creek Crescent
- Alleyway between 13 Street and 14 Street
- Alleyway south of Main Street from 6 Ave. to Spring Creek Drive
- Spring Creek Drive entrance to Main Street alleyway
There will be limited vehicle access to Elevation Place while road closures are in effect. Please walk, cycle or Roam until Railway Ave. reopens at 2 p.m.
