Events Calendar

Jul 1, 2025

Canada Day at The Forks

Canada Day is an opportunity to celebrate everything that makes Canada ‘our home and native land.’ July 1 festivities include the return of dance battles, more skateboarding demonstrations with Píhtikwé Skatepark, a basketball tournament, and food trucks. Visitors will enjoy a vibrant, family-focused celebration during the day that also includes a handmade market, critters from FortWhyte Alive, plus a wide variety of performers representing many cultures.

This project has been gifted the name ᐊᐧᐦᑯᐦᑐᐃᐧᐣ Wáhkóhtowin by Two-Spirit Kokum Charlotte Nolin.
Kokum Charlotte shared that this name reflects the spirit of the work we are doing — one that is rooted in relationship, kinship, and our responsibilities to one another. As we carry this name forward, we carry the teaching that this project embodies, and must continue to embody, our sacred connections to one another — as relations, as community, and as nations walking together.

Events running throughout the day 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

  • CN Stage and Field: Handmade Market

  • Oodena Celebration Circle: Sacred Fire

  • The Plaza Skate Park: Píhtikwé Skatepark Demo – spray paint and stencils for boards/shirts, sticker giveaway

  • Food Trucks

HOURLY BREAKDOWN

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

  • Oodena Celebration Circle: Opening Ceremony

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

  • Oodena Celebration Circle: Children's Story Time with Ashley Cook

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM

  • CN Field: Large Games
  • CN Stage: Basketball Manitoba Public Basketball Court With A DJ
  • CN Stage: Basketball Opening Remarks (11:00 AM - 11:30 AM), Youth Championship Game (11:30 AM - 1:00 PM)
  • Oodena Celebration Circle: Folklorama Collaboration

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

  • CN Field: Large Games
  • CN Stage: Basketball Manitoba Public Basketball Court With A DJ
  • CN Stage: Youth Championship Game 
  • Oodena Celebration Circle: Folklorama Cultural Dances and Fashion Show

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

  • CN Field: Large Games
  • CN Stage: Basketball Manitoba Public Basketball Court With A DJ
  • CN Stage: Basketball Shooting Competition (1:00 PM - 1:30 PM), Wheelchair Basketball Demonstration and Game (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM)
  • Johnston Terminal Stairs: Live Music with Sassy Mellows
  • Oodena Celebration Circle: Folklorama Cultural Dances and Fashion Show
  • The Port: FortWhyte Alive Critters exhibit
  • Roof of Parkade: NORTH STAR DANCE FESTIVAL - Cultural Performances, Free Dance Workshops and Street Dance Battles, brought to you by Dance With GeNie Event Group

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

  • CN Field: Large Games
  • CN Stage: Basketball Manitoba Public Basketball Court With A DJ
  • CN Stage: Wheelchair Basketball Demonstration and Game (1:30 PM - 2:30 PM), Dunk Contest (2:30 PM - 3:00 PM)
  • Johnston Terminal Stairs: Live Performance with Ashley Fredette
  • The Market: Indigenous Youth Empowerment Panel
  • Oodena Celebration Circle: Live Performance with Karen Warner and 15 Fiddlers
  • The Port: Fancy Shawl and Grass Dancer
  • Roof of Parkade: NORTH STAR DANCE FESTIVAL - Cultural Performances, Free Dance Workshops and Street Dance Battles, brought to you by Dance With GeNie Event Group

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM

  • CN Field: Large Games
  • CN Stage: Basketball Manitoba Public Basketball Court With A DJ
  • CN Stage: Winnipeg Sea Bears Activation
  • Johnston Terminal Stairs: French Class Music
  • Oodena Celebration Circle: Elder Barb Nepinak Storytelling
  • The Port: Hoop Dancer
  • Roof of Parkade: NORTH STAR DANCE FESTIVAL - Cultural Performances, Free Dance Workshops and Street Dance Battles, brought to you by Dance With GeNie Event Group

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM

  • CN Field: Large Games
  • CN Stage: Basketball Manitoba Public Basketball Court With A DJ
  • CN Stage: Adult Championship Basketball Game
  • Johnston Terminal Stairs: Inuit Throat Singing and Drum Dancing
  • The Market: Tobacco Tie Making and Offering for MMI2SWG
  • The Port: Fancy Bustle Dancer
  • Roof of Parkade: NORTH STAR DANCE FESTIVAL - Cultural Performances, Free Dance Workshops and Street Dance Battles, brought to you by Dance With GeNie Event Group

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

  • CN Field: Large Games (until 5:30 PM)
  • Johnston Terminal Stairs: Leonard Sumner
  • Oodena Celebration Circle: Singing and Drumming with Mary Black
  • The Port: Jingle Dress Dancer

 

Schedule, times and locations may be subject to change on-site.

Bike valet avialable 10:00 AM - 7:00 PM.

This project has been made possible in part by the Government of Canada. 

The Forks also thanks Supporting Sponsors for Canada Day: London Drugs and CBC.

Location: Multiple Locations

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