The City of Campbell River and Quality Foods have come together again to celebrate Canada Day with a bang for the 25th time.
This year will mark 25 years since the two have partnered on this venture, and Canada Day Committee chair Carol Chapman says it’s on track to be the biggest fireworks day in the province this year.
“This marks 25 years with Quality Foods being involved in the partnership with the city,” Chapman said. “We host about 20,000 people, and it’s the biggest free celebration on the Island. We get to boast the biggest fireworks in the whole province.”
Chapman first approached Quality Foods two years after they opened, and the grocer has been involved in every fireworks display ever since.
“We’re really excited to be a part of this again,” said Quality Foods manager Amber Maier. “We like to support the community as best as we can … it’s an incredible task to get this organized every year.”
Quality Foods also helps out by donating 2,000 cupcakes every year to five seniors homes on June 27.
“We visit all five seniors homes in the in the community and give them Quality Foods cupcakes as an early celebration,” Chapman said. “Then Quality Foods also provides all of the cupcakes on Canada Day at the main stage after we have our opening ceremonies. We distribute cupcakes to everyone in the audience. So good sugar buzz is had by all.”
This year the event starts on June 30 with a salmon BBQ at Spirit Square. Completely Creedence will play a free show on the 30th. The celebration continues on July 1 with the Rotary parade and other events downtown.
But the real star of the show will be the fireworks.
“There’s viewing parties all over the place,” Chapman said. “If you’re not right down town, there’s a beach parties. There’s people’s back yard parties, people bring their family together. That’s why the city does it for for community, right? It’s something everybody can get behind where there’s no no negative only positive.”
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