Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Fireworks Port Credit Mississauga Canada Day July 1 2011

Canada Day Fireworks, Events July 1 2013
The schedule for 2013 is basically the same as in previous years, with Grand Marshalls Peel Regional Police Chief,  Jennifer Evans, and Chuck Jackson.

The 'Paint the Town Red' site has details.  For fireworks parking info see this post.
See you there!

Fireworks mark the finale of the Canada Day celebrations in Port Credit (Mississauga) Ontario on July 1, 2011, but the fun starts long before that!

Port Credit starts 'Painting the Town Red' with the Canada Day Parade at 11 a.m.
And to 'Make It Right', the Grand Marshals for the parade are Mike Holmes, host of Holmes on Homes and Holmes Inspection, and CityTV reporter Francis D'Souza.
Miss Canada 2010, Bridget Nickerson, and Miss Canada 2011 and Miss International Woman  hopefuls will take part in the parade, then 'meet and greet' at Memorial Park. The contestants are all cute as buttons, and will be in Port Credit all week leading up to the Miss Canada Pageant.

At 1 p.m. there's the giant Happy Birthday Canada cake cutting ceremony, the Port Credit Legion on Front Street South is hosting a BBQ, and there'll be music everywhere!

Does Port Credit know how to throw a party??!! You bet!

The Canada Day party goes on all day, until the Fireworks display show at 10:15 p.m.
Fireworks show usually starts when the sky is the darkest, about 10:20 p.m.  The official time is 10:15 p.m.  A few years ago, the show started earlier because rain was moving in from Oakville. That upset a lot of people who figured they show up last minute and missed them. portcreditbia

Here are some pictures and a short video from Canada Day 2010 in Port Credit. Each year, this event gets better! Kudos to the sponsors and volunteers.

Paint the Town Red Sign at Godfreys Lane Port Credit ON
 Coming along Lakeshore Road West, from the west (Clarkson, Lorne Park), when you see this large red and white Paint the Town Red sign, you are only a few blocks from Memorial Park, the hub of the celebrations.

Look for parking on side streets west of the river / lighthouse to avoid the crush of traffic. (I like the Saddington Park parking area, at the end of Mississauga Road South.) Lakeshore Road will be closed from Stavebank to Hurontario (10:00 – 12:00 pm) and from Hurontario to Seneca (10 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.) for the parade and cake cutting ceremony.

Elvis and Cool Car Port Credit Canada Day 2010 Parade
 Here are two of the dozens of participants in Paint The Town Red 2010. 'Elvis' is easy to spot, but I missed the driver/ sponsor of the car. The parade is set to start at 11 a.m. at Stavebank Road at Lakeshore, then head east along Lakeshore past Hurontario (Hwy 10) to Seneca Avenue. See Canada Day 2010 pics, info.

Pancake Breakfast Memorial Park Canada Day
 In 2010, to mark Port Credit's 175 birthday, a pancake breakfast was served at Memorial Park gazebo. This year, the only way to get your pancake breakfast is to volunteer to help Paint The Town Red -- contact pc-volunteer AT bell DOT net if you can help set up, tear down, carry a banner, etc.

Canada Day Theme Clothing Port Credit Ontario
 Port Credit becomes a sea of red and white on Canada Day, from clothing to hats to flags to the Giant Cake and even our Port Credit Lighthouse (home of the BIA).  This couple is walking along the path that goes under Lakeshore Road from Snug Harbour, Marina area to Memorial Park.

Tea Vendor at Marketplace Memorial Park Port Credit
 Memorial Park is the hub of the action, with a main stage, smaller stages, a market area, and a playground, behind the newly renovated Port Credit Library. And you don't need a car to get to Port Credit: You can take the GO Train from Toronto or Hamilton, and Mississauga Transit (MiWay) has 'Buy One, Get One Free' on July 1, 2011 and students Grades 1 - 8 ride free when accompanied by a fare paying passenger.

Fireworks Finale Port Credit Canada Day
 Not the best of shots, without a tripod, but I will post this picture anyhow as it shows the traffic along Front Street and Lakeshore, and the brightly lit landmark Lighthouse. Memorial Park is to the right rear of the lighthouse, and the dark area is mostly Credit River. The fireworks are set off at Memorial Park. Stake out your prime viewing area early; up the hill near the Arena is a good spot.
Sit and eat: Over a dozen of Port Credit's finest places to wine and dine will be marked with provincial flags for A Taste of Canada:  look for the flags of the provinces and check out A Taste of Nova Scotia, Alberta, Ontario, New Brunswick, B.C. Quebec, Yukon, and PEI!
Have a look at the Paint the Town Red site for details, and consider volunteering: Call Beatrice at (905) 599-2156 if you can help.

But do plan to make it an all-day event in Port Credit this Canada Day. It's a lot of fun, and a great party.


See Memorial Park video :



 And if you find that you need a break in all the excitement, head a few blocks west to Brueckner Garden and smell the roses in full bloom this week.

Paint the Town Red 2011 Canada Day  Parade



Fireworks 2011 Video YouTube




Thursday, June 09, 2011

Summer Mississauga Port Credit Things to Do

Summer in Port Credit (Mississauga) Ontario is brimming with lots of fun activities and events. Some are one-time festivals, and others are open all summer long. Here's a list of a few things to do in June and July in Port Credit.

Dragon Boat Races this weekend (June 11, 12) at the Canoe and Kayak Regatta 9am-4pm on the Credit River. Great spot to watch is from Memorial Park.

Brueckner Rhododendron Garden
 Stop by Brueckner Rhododendron Garden this week for peak blooming times for rhodos and azaleas. If you miss this seasonal show, not to worry: All summer long and into the fall, you can stop and smell the roses, hug a tree or admire a comely hydrangea and lots of wildflowers, too. More info, map at BRG Blog.


Port Credit Farmers Market
 Stop by Saturdays for fresh local produce, lively entertainment, baked goods, cheeses, honey, teas and more. See this earlier post for information on the Farmers Market.


Mississauga Waterfront Festival
 The Mississauga Waterfront Festival 2011 is June 17, 18, 19. Most of the concert activities are centered in Memorial Park, shown in the above photo to the right of the Credit River, and on the north side of Lakeshore Road. Concerts and some shows require paid admission, but there's lots to see for free.

 The kids have a great time at this Port Credit annual event, especially at the playground and midway next to the Port Credit Library. The library was renovated and expanded over the winter, and is well worth a visit while you are here during opening hours. Here's my blog post for  information about MWF in 2010 and see the MWF site for a list of performers, etc appearing this year.

Port Credit Outdoor Art Show
The annual Port Credit Outdoor Art Show sets up this year on July 15-17 at the Credit Village Marina, south side of Lakeshore Road and east side of the Credit River /bridge. Here are my photos from last year, with some of the exhibitors. Again, it costs nothing to come by and look, but this event attracts talented artists and artisans from a large area, and is well worth a visit.

Paint the Town Red ~ Canada Day in Port Credit
 Canada Day celebrations in Port Credit have to be one of the best in the country, though I'll concede the capital, Ottawa, has a pretty good one, too :-)

Port Credit is one of the places to 'paint the town red' and watch the Canada Day Parade, and fireworks at dusk. See Canada Day 2010 photos, info.

Port Credit Bollywood Flash Mob
The Bollywood Flash Mob in Port Credit is over and done -- this event took place yesterday (June 8, 2011) afternoon. But it was so much fun, I wanted to share a picture, and a short video I took.  While the Bollywood Flash Mobs are done, the event they were promoting continues: The IIFA International Indian Film Academy Awards events run until June 26.

But Bollywood lives on at these Port Credit restaurants serving 'Bollylicious' specials until June 11:
  • Napoca Restaurant
  • Colossus of Rhodes
  • Jam Martini Bar
  • The Harp Pub
  • Lagoshore Restaurant
  • Shore 71
  • Snug Harbour
  • Lake Affect
  • The Breakwater at the Waterside Inn

Video Link Bollywood Flash Mob (if it doesn't appear below)





There are lots more events going on in Port Credit this summer and you don't need to break the bank. Most events are free and family oriented. I'll post more events for August and into September as the summer progresses.