Frontenac County Celebrates Canada

Kelli McRobert | Jul 05, 2023

When you Wiki Canada Day it brings you back to 1867 where a Governor General proclaimed we shall all celebrate the Canadian Confederation, or Dominion Day, as it used to be known. By 1982, it was renamed to Canada Day, more aptly titled for the celebration of being Canadian, and bringing together groups of people, from all walks of life. This year, we had the added concerns of smoke as it entered the atmosphere from fires burning in Quebec, our neighbours, who, for some, were dealing with colossal loss or the potential for it. In the news, there is continued controversy over politics, inclusivity, and conspiracy that seems to be trying to tear us apart, vs. bring us together as one strong nation. The pandemic isolated us, kept us contained, and (perhaps) attempted to break our spirit, our sense of community, and our longing for social interaction.

Canada Day this year felt like a rebirth of community, social gatherings, and a renewed sense of national pride. New citizens were sworn in and welcomed to our beautiful country -strong, and free. Volunteers spent hours planning and coordinating events to bring together townships, and everyone was hoping the weather would hold out as stormy skies were slated for the afternoon.

As I drove up to Bedford Hall (Glendower), I could smell the inviting aroma of fresh pancakes (thank you Diane Revill!) with a hint of savoury sausage. The parking lot was packed as families young and old filed into the hall for a free feast hosted by the Bedford Community Association. Volunteers decked out in RED served up a buffet style all you can eat feast. The fluffy pancakes were stacked on plates, a side of brown beans, that warranted a few servings, were carefully scooped up, as yummy sausages accompanied the spread perfectly. Alongside this was watermelon slices, and a chilled fruit salad that was seasonal and sweet, the perfect chaser to start the day. As we sat down to enjoy our meal, guests were pouring out the liquid gold syrup as they chomped and munched while sharing stories amongst the large farm-table gatherings.

On stage were Jess Wedden & Chris Murphy playing upbeat fiddle music that had some up dancing, while others did a ‘chair jive’ bobbing around, canes tapping to the great tunes. Many residents chatted with neighbours as they sipped a ‘cuppa joe and caught up on the latest happenings while wishing new (and old) friends a Happy Canada Day. As O’ Canada played for the crowd, everyone stood, came together as ONE, and a patriotic tear welled up in my eye. Once sated from the meal, groups had the choice of attending a well-structured schedule of events at Sharbot Lake, Harrowsmith, Sydenham, and Sunbury. Each venue was hosted by a different group and included a variety of children’s activities, including water slides, inflatables, obstacle courses, face painting, musicians, and vendors.

By early evening, a large storm rolled through, and some areas even had to hunker down, briefly, as a tornado warning screeched across the airwaves. Once the hazard was assessed as ‘safe’, fireworks were slated to take place at Sydenham Point at dark. Locally, the skies exploded with colour and sound as residents celebrated their version of Canada Day, flags waving, music playing, lawn chairs aimed at the lake, as the sun set behind an eerie haze -a subtle reminder how closely our provinces and towns are connected.

Thank you to all the organisations for a successful day, with lots of choices within the Frontenacs. It was great to see everyone out in their RED celebrating our great country, from coast to coast -restorative, communal-one nation coming together even during trying times.