Canada Day in Castlegar: quality time with your ... dragon?
By Kyra Hoggan
What better way to celebrate our nation’s birth than learning how to train your dragon?
Castlegar’s Canada Day celebrations are set to incude the popular Movie in the Park (last year drew roughly 1,000 people), featuring computer-animated fantasy film by DreamWorks Animation, How to Train Your Dragon.
The movie, to be shown on a 40-foot screen in the Complex soccer field, should be a real treat – it hasn’t even been released on DVD yet.
Of course, the family flick (which will start just after sunset), is just the finale to all the fun – the day begins at 8 a.m. with the Heritage Society’s annual pancake breakfast at the Station Museum downtown, featuring live entertainment and with all proceeds going to the museum and Zuckerberg Island.
Late afternoon will see revelers migrating to the Complex soccer field at 5 p.m., says Kevin Chernoff, city councillor and chair of the Community Wellness and Special Events Committee.
He said the evening will include toys and games for the kids, as well as hot dogs and bottled water available by donation to the food bank.
“But we’re not turning anyone away, whether they have money to donate or not,” Chernoff clarified. “And we’ll have veggie dogs, too, but we’re not doing hamburgers this year – we’re trying to streamline things, after such long line-ups last year.
“And, of course, there will be lots of popcorn for the movie.”
There’ll be a stage with live entertainment – the Rippin Rattlers – then a sweet treat: birthday cake in honour of Canada Day.
“The movie will probably start at around 9 or 9:30 p.m. – when it gets dark,” he said. “Bring a lawn chair and a blanket, so you can watch it comfortably. It really cools off when the sun goes down.”
He also said special thanks are in order – the federal funding that made the event possible in the past has been drastically cut, but several local businesses came forward to help ensure the show does, indeed, go on.
“Everyone we asked helped out in some way,” he said. “I think (this sort of event) goes along with what city council believes, that community is about more than just bricks and mortar. It brings people together and instils pride in the community and in Canada.”
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