A full family and community focused Canada Day is back at The Forks on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
Canada Day is an opportunity to celebrate everything that makes Canada ‘our home and native land.’ July 1 festivities include the return of dance battles, more skateboarding demonstrations with Pitikwé, a basketball tournament, and food trucks. Visitors will enjoy a vibrant, family-focused celebration during the day that also includes a handmade market, critters from FortWhyte Alive, plus a wide variety of performers representing many cultures.
All programming will run from 9:00am – 6:00pm throughout The Forks.
Highlights:
- CN Stage and Field: Handmade Market, Large Games, Basketball
- Oodena Celebration Circle: Sacred Fire
- The Plaza Skate Park: Pitikwé Demo – spray paint and stencils for boards/shirts, sticker giveaway
- Food Trucks
Hourly Schedule:
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- Oodena Celebration Circle: Pipe and Water Ceremony
10:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- Oodena Celebration Circle: Children’s Story Time with Ashley Cook
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Oodena Celebration Circle: Folklorama Collaboration
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
- Oodena Celebration Circle: Folklorama Cultural Dances and Fashion Show
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM
- Johnston Terminal Stairs: Live Music with Sassy Mellows
- Oodena Celebration Circle: Folklorama Cultural Dances and Fashion Show
- The Port: FortWhyte Alive Critters exhibit
- Roof of Parkade: NORTH STAR DANCE FESTIVAL – Cultural Performances, Fre Dance Workshops and Street Dance Battles, brought to you by Dance With GeNie Event Group
2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- Johnston Terminal Stairs: Live Performance with Ashley Fredette
- The Market: Indigenous Youth Empowerment Panel
- Oodena Celebration Circle: Live Performance with Karen Warner and 15 Fiddlers
- The Port: Fancy Shawl and Grass Dancer
- Roof of Parkade: NORTH STAR DANCE FESTIVAL – Cultural Performances, Fre Dance Workshops and Street Dance Battles, brought to you by Dance With GeNie Event Group
- Skate Park: Graffiti Art Gallery
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
- Johnston Terminal Stairs: French Class Music
- Oodena Celebration Circle: Contemporary Dance Performance from Justine Erickson
- The Port: Hoop Dancer
- Roof of Parkade: NORTH STAR DANCE FESTIVAL – Cultural Performances, Fre Dance Workshops and Street Dance Battles, brought to you by Dance With GeNie Event Group
- Skate Park: Graffiti Art Gallery
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM
- Johnston Terminal Stairs: Inuit Throat Singing and Drum Dancing
- The Market: Tobacco Tie Making
- The Port: Fancy Bustle Dancer
- Roof of Parkade: NORTH STAR DANCE FESTIVAL – Cultural Performances, Fre Dance Workshops and Street Dance Battles, brought to you by Dance With GeNie Event Group
- Skate Park: Graffiti Art Gallery
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
- Oodena Celebration Circle: Singing and Drumming with Mary Black
- The Port: Jingle Dress Dancer
Will There Be Canada Day Fireworks at The Forks?
No, there will not be any fireworks at The Forks this year. Festivities will end at 6:00pm.
