By Dan Laxer
The Suburban

There was no parade to be rained on, this year. As reported in The Suburban, for the second year in a row, the traditional Canada Day Parade was cancelled at the last minute. But the City of Montreal did indeed mark the day’s activities in the Old Port.

The threatened rain and thunder storms made no appearance. In fact, despite weather forecasts, Canada Day in Montreal turned out to be a hot, bright, sunny day with just a few clouds. Either way, the day was advertised as taking place “rain or shine.” And Montrealers showed up in droves.

City of Montreal celebrations were centred in the Old Port, but began with the first ever “Festive Walk.” The nearly one-and-a-half kilometre walk had hundreds of participants. It was led by the Urban Science Brass Band – from Place d’Armes across from the Notre Dame Basilica through the streets of Old Montreal, and on to the Quai de l’Horloge where three Canadian Armed Forces cannons performed a 21-gun salute; each cannon fired off individual rounds in turn, which took about 45 minutes to complete.

Activities were much the same as in communities all over the island, with face-painting, inflatables, and games, and the citizenship ceremony for new Canadians.