Regina celebrates Canada Day at Waskana Park – Regina | Globalnews.ca

Canada Day The ceremony returned to Regina this year after a three-year hiatus due to COVID-19.

It was Canada Day which was full of fun, food, performance and love for the country. Hundreds of people lined up near the Legislative Building in Vasakana Park on Friday to attend the festivities.

One of those attendees was Daniel Schmidt, who he says had an incredible time.

“I’m hanging out, enjoying some sunshine, enjoying some festivities, it’s a great celebration,” Schmidt said.

The delay in public functions has made this year’s celebrations a different endeavor. Carrie Haeckel, director of marketing and communications for Regina’s Canada Day committee, says there were obstacles to making this year’s celebration come alive.

1:59
Survivors in residential school react to Pope’s visit

“Unfortunately, we’ve lost more than half of our committee over the years, so we’ve all had additional duties to pull things together this year,” Haeckel said. “We’re really happy that the family can come out and have a really happy day.”

That joy is echoed by Schmidt.

“It’s been crazy, but the cool thing about being out now for Canada Day is that with all of us publicly enjoying and celebrating Canada Day, it feels fantastic… It almost feels like a new experience,” Schmidt said.

The day was full of fun for the whole family. Attendees were treated to performances ranging from concerts to dance performances to magic shows.

There were also many vendors and food trucks on the streets, offering a variety of options, such as barbecue, hot dogs, ice cream and slush.

But for some, Canada Day meant more than just participating in recreational activities. On a day set aside for patriotism, it is important to remember Canada’s indigenous history and reconciliation efforts.

Indigenous advocate Evan Whitestar of Mother Teresa Middle School, along with other Indigenous students from the school, were invited to Waskana Park to perform a First Nations drumming and dance performance as part of the day’s celebration.

“We don’t want to celebrate Canada Day and recognize or accept all racism, but we are choosing to recognize our resilience as a First Nations community,” Whitestar said. “We found our education, our culture and identity as well through our hallways and are choosing to embody who we want to be.”