How to Spend Canada Day 2022 in St. John’s, Newfoundland
Celebrate the nation’s 155th birthday in the capital city of Newfoundland. The youngest province in Canada, only joining Confederation in 1949, Newfoundlanders ring in Canada Day with a variety of outdoor celebrations, cultural events, and of course, fireworks.
Sunrise at Signal Hill
As the country’s easternmost province, Newfoundlanders ring in Canada Day before the rest of the country even wakes up. While most Canada Day celebrations take place in the evening, the annual Sunrise Event at Signal Hill National Historic Site starts at the crack of dawn at 6am with a rendition of the national anthem and addresses from politicians and dignitaries.
Originally started by locals in the 1980s, the Sunrise Event has become an important ceremony of national significance as the unofficial start of Canada Day. After the ceremony, there’s plenty to do on Signal Hill, such as enjoying refreshments at the visitor’s centre or taking in gorgeous views of St. John’s Harbour below, its waters golden with early morning light.
Free Canada Day Events in St. John’s, Newfoundland
From sunrise to sunset, there will be a variety of events across St. John’s to celebrate Canada Day. Even better, they’re all completely free! For instance, King George V Park will host many fun activities all afternoon, including bouncing castles, laser tag, balloon animals, free cupcakes, and musical performances.
As the sun begins to go down, head to Quidi Vidi Lake for a free concert from Maritime artist Carolina East followed by a dazzling fireworks display to close out the evening.
Canada Day Memorial Parade
On Canada Day, the Royal Canadian Legion will be hosting a memorial parade to commemorate the lives lost at the Battle of Beaumont-Hamel in France during World War 1. Taking place on July 1st, the bloody prelude to the Battle of the Somme saw the deaths of 57,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers, 800 of them Newfoundlanders. From then on, long before Newfoundland joined Canada, July 1st would be remembered as Memorial Day in recognition of these brave sacrifices.
The parade is set to run through downtown St. John’s from Queens Road down to the St. John’s War Memorial on Water Street for a ceremony hosted by Newfoundland Lieutenant Governor Judy Foote.
Team Broken Earth Canada Day 10k Walk/Run
Celebrate Canada in St. John’s and get in a workout at the Team Broken Earth Canada Day St Johns 2022 10km Run/Walk. The charity event seeks to raise money for Team Broken Earth, a Canadian medical charity that supports doctors and nurses as they embark on medical missions to countries ranging from Haiti to Bangladesh. The race is set to begin at the Running Room in St. John’s with both 5k and 10k options, as well as a Kids Fun Run.