Royal City residents turned out in droves to celebrate Canada’s birthday.
Crowds flocked to Queens’ Park for an afternoon of fun in the sun that included musical entertainment, a pick-a-box auction and free treats. Many kids cooled down in the playground’s spray park.
Later in the day, residents moved on to the waterfront, where the Hyack Festival Association offered a number of activities, in partnership with River Market, including a kids zone and musical performances.
“It went really well,” said Cathie Gibson, interim executive director of the Hyack Festival Association. “We ran out of popcorn.”
New Westminster capped off Canada’s 147th birthday celebration with fireworks over the Fraser River. Some residents expressed concern that the fireworks started about 9:50 p.m., which was earlier than the scheduled 10 p.m. start time.
Gibson said the timing is dependent on the tides and approvals from Port Metro Vancouver and the New Westminster Marine Unit. The fireworks are set off from a barge in the Fraser River.
“You have to go when the guy on the barge says, ‘OK, go,’” she said.
