With the theme of “Roll, Stroll, and Celebrate!”, the City of Peterborough has announced this year’s Canada Day celebrations — and they won’t include the traditional Canada Day parade.
Instead, there will be a “community procession” departing from City Hall at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 1 and proceeding to Millennium Park for a full afternoon of family-friendly festivities.
“We’re reimagining Canada Day as a day of shared reflection, connection, and celebration through community, culture, and creativity,” reads a media release from the city.
“The community procession is an inclusive and informal walk open to individuals, families, and local organizations who wish to walk, bike, or roll from City Hall to the park together,” the release states. “Please note that this is not a traditional parade and no motorized vehicles or large floats are permitted.”
Also unlike previous years, there will be no family activities at Confederation Square, which traditionally took place for a couple of hours before the parade began at noon. Instead, there will be a full afternoon of music, performances, food, cultural activities, and family programming at Millennium Park from noon until 6 p.m.
However, there will still be a decorated bike contest during the morning community procession “for participants of all ages,” with prizes awarded for the most creative and playful designs.
According to the city, the afternoon activities at Millennium Park will include live performances by local artists and entertainers, kids’ activities and family zones, food and beverage vendors hosted by the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA), and interactive cultural displays and information booths.
“Canada Day 2025 emphasizes accessibility, inclusion, and sustainability, featuring local talent, community organizations, and diverse cultural programming that reflects the spirit of Peterborough,” the release states.
The city is encouraging performers, arts and crafts vendors, and food and beverage vendors who want to participate in the afternoon’s activities at Millennium Park to apply by 4 p.m. on Friday, May 30 at peterborough.ca/canadaday.
After the festivities at Millennium Park, Peterborough Musicfest will be presenting a city-sponsored free admission concert at 8 p.m. at Del Crary Park.
The concert be followed by a fireworks display over Little Lake at 9:30 p.m.
The city will also be hosting a free outdoor movie night at dusk on Monday, June 30 at Quaker Foods City Square, with the movie to be announced.
The city’s “reimagining” of Canada Day celebrations comes a year after city staff recommended the cancellation of the 2024 Canada Day parade due to continued declining participation, proposing using the parade’s $20,000 budget for other activities instead, such as family-friendly events at Millennium Park and Del Crary Park and an evening fireworks event following the Peterborough Musicfest concert.
City council rejected the staff recommendation, approving the parade to continue for another year until staff could report back to council on the results of the 2024 parade.
Although city staff conducted a survey asking residents for feedback on 2025 Canada Day celebrations, stating that “feedback collected through this survey will help inform recommendations for city council for the 2025 Canada Day celebration,” kawarthaNOW is unaware of any staff recommendations that were brought forward in 2025 for city council’s consideration.
