The Sooke River Flats will be a sea of red and white on July 1 as Sooke celebrates Canada Day.
The Sooke Lions Club will again host the annual festivities.
So far, the Lions have received support from many community groups including the Sooke Community Association, Sooke Rotary Club, Harbourside Lions, Sooke Lionesses, District of Sooke and the Juan de Fuca Electoral Area.
This year’s celebration kicks off at 8 a.m., as the Royal Canadian Legion will be hosting the breakfast this year. Breakfast costs $5, and there will also be a concession and food trucks on site throughout the day.
The annual opening ceremonies will begin at 11 a.m. followed by the parade and cake cutting at noon.
This year’s event features tons of entertainment, including live music, a performance by Amber Academy, and Elvis, Dolly Parton and Patsy Cline impersonators. There will also be family games and activities, free face painting, about 25 vendors set up throughout the day, and fireworks at night.
“Canada Day celebrations are always special because we try to feature local businesses and entertainment, and there is so much to do for the whole family,” said Steve Wright, an organizer of the event. “As a parent, I always love seeing the smiles on kids’ faces.”
Canada Day has become Sooke’s largest celebration since the demise of All Sooke Day in 2002 and attracts more than 2,500 people every year.
There is no parking on site at the Flats, but people are welcome to park at Edward Milne Community School, SEAPARC, or in the downtown core, and a shuttle bus will be running from each place.