Updated for 2020
We all know that Canada Day Activities in London Ontario are going to look very different this year. That doesn’t mean that we can’t have some fun and celebrate this amazing country though!
I just love Canada Day! Maybe it’s because my very first Canada Day was Canada’s 100th birthday and was spent at Expo ‘67. I tell you – that was one thrilling experience!
Of course, I’ve loved every Canada Day since then too. I feel privileged to be able to call Canada my home and I get a bit sentimental when its birthday rolls around.
CANADA DAY ACTIVITIES IN LONDON ONTARIO
CANADA DAY AT HOME
Many local venues are taking part in Canada Day at Home activities including London Children’s Museum, Fanshawe Pioneer Village, and Museum London.
Schedule of Virtual Activities and Entertainment
10:00 – 10:05 AM
Canada Day Noise Makers with London Children’s Museum
10:30 – 11:00 AM
Virtual Concert by The Schotts with Fanshawe Pioneer Village
11:00 – 11:05 AM
Canada Day Sensory Bins with London Children’s Museum
11:15 – 11:45 AM
Virtual Art Tour of “Taking the Long View” Exhibit with Museum London
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Canada Day Trivia with Canada Day London
12:00 – 12:05 PM
DIY Window Paint with London Children’s Museum
12:15 – 12:25 PM
Picnic Etiquette and Victoria Cake Recipe with Fanshawe Pioneer Village
12:30 – 1:00 PM
Canada Grey Jay Art Sampler with Museum London
12:45 – 12:50 PM
Fireworks in a Jar with London Children’s Museum
1:00 – 1:15 PM
Dominion Day Speech and Flag Raising with Fanshawe Pioneer Village
1:30 – 1:35 PM
Collection Curiosities: Made In Canada Toys (Part 1) with London Children’s Museum
1:45 – 2:15 PM
Beaver Tails Cooking Show with Canada Day London
2:15 – 2:25 PM
Ice Cream Making with Fanshawe Pioneer Village
2:30 – 2:35 PM
Collection Curiosities: Made In Canada Toys (Part 2) with London Children’s Museum
2:45 – 3:15 PM
Maple Leaf Rubbings with Museum London
3:00 – 3:30 PM
Virtual Concert: AlvegoRoot Theatre with Fanshawe Pioneer Village
3:30 – 3:35 PM
Collection Curiosities: Made In Canada Toys (Part 3) with London Children’s Museum
3:35 – 4:00 PM
TikTok Dance Lesson with Canada Day London
ELDON HOUSE
1:00 to 4:00 pm
The Grounds of Eldon House are Open to Visitors to Celebrate Canada Day and Dominion Day.
As the Ontario Government gradually reopens heritage institutions Eldon House welcomes you to celebrate Canada Day/Dominion Day with a self-guided stroll throughout the gardens.
By following the Ontario Government and the Ministry of Health’s guidelines to ensure the safety of our visitors and staff in mind, your visit to Eldon House might look different than is previous years.
While you explore the grounds there are many tea cups hidden throughout the flowerbeds and among the shrubberies. Can you find them all?
If you think you think you have let us know how many you counted and share your answer on Eldon House’s Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Eldon House and Interpretive Center are not open to the pubic at this time. We are unable to host our traditional Canada Day Carnival this year, as such there are no guided tours.
There are no refreshments or facilities available to the public at this time.
Cost: By donation
FANSHAWE PIONEER VILLAGE
Fanshawe Pioneer Village is taking part in a Virtual Dominion Day celebration.
Celebrate Canada Day–sorry, Dominion Day, not quite like they did in 1920.
Dominion Day in London is moving online, with virtual programming and at-home activities from ourselves, the London Children’s Museum, and Museum London!
Plus, the London Heritage Council, Downtown London, and Dundas Place are teaming up with Covent Garden Market Canada, Budweiser Gardens, and Tourism London to bring an exciting “Canada Day London: Stay Home Edition” contest to encourage everyone to celebrate Canada Day at home.
Fanshawe Pioneer Village and the London Heritage Council would like to thank and acknowledge our funder, the Government of Canada, for their flexibility in these uncertain times.
We will be hosting two virtual concerts, one with The Schotts and one with AlvegoRoot Theatre during the day.
Virtual Schedule
10:30 a.m. Virtual Concert with the Schotts
1:00 p.m. Virtual flag raising with the Royal Scots
3:00 p.m. Virtual Concert, Seven Songs for Canada, with AlvegoRoot Theatre
Make sure to check out our video posts on Picnic Ettiquette and how to make Victoria Sponge Cake and Ice Cream!
They will be posting videos on their Facebook Page, Youtube Channel and on their website.
The Village will not be open to the public that day. We are hoping to reopen to the public for by admission visits on Saturday, July 10th.
This project has been made possible [in part] by the Government of Canada.
Ce projet a ete rendu possible [en partie] grace au gouvernement du Canada.
Thank you to the Forest City London Music Awards for their support of this project.
MUSEUM LONDON
Museum London is also taking part in the Canada Day at Home celebrations.
We’re taking our Canada Day activities online this year! Please join us for a guided exhibition tour of our exhibition Taking the Long View, art activities, plus a quiz and puzzles with great prizes.
We’re partnering with Fanshawe Pioneer Village, London Children’s Museum, and the London Heritage Council for a full day of activities.
Learn more by clicking here. All activities and full schedule will be released shortly.
Taking the Long View Exhibition Tour – 11:15 am
Join us for a virtual exhibition tour with an introduction by Cassandra Getty, our Curator of Art. We’ll be taking you on a guided walkthrough of our permanent collection exhibition, Taking the Long View and highlighting key works.
The video will be launched on our Facebook page on Canada Day and will be available for watching after as well.
Grey Jay Art Activity – 12:30 pm
Did you know that Canada’s national bird is the Canada Jay? It is also known as the grey jay or the whisky jack, which is a variation on the name Wisakedjak, a benevolent trickster in Cree, Algonquin, and Menominee cultures.
Art instructor Jacqueline Demendeev will lead an online video tutorial showing you how to create one using materials you can find at home. You’ll be able to watch the video on their Facebook page on Canada Day.
Explore the relaxing practice of illustrating the natural world. Learn a few simple techniques to assemble and create a personalized drawing of the Canadian Grey Jay. No prior art experience is required.
Recommended materials:
1. bird template printed or traced off of a computer screen
2. Scissors
3. A piece of paper that is 8 inches by 10 inches or larger. Cardstock is ideal, but printer paper will do in a pinch.
4. Pencil
5. Pencil crayons in: Grey, Brown, Green, Black
6. Optional: Blue watercolour paint, paintbrush and water
Maple Leaf Rubbings Activity – 2:45 pm
Get to know our national symbol in a new way. Go for a nature walk and locate maple trees in your neighbourhood. We all know the big sugar maple leaf from the Canadian flag.
There are also soft silver maples, feathery Japanese maples, or purple Norway maple trees around London. You might want to thank the tree for bringing you its shade, quiet, and steady presence before taking a leaf for this art project.
Can you guess how old this tree is? The oldest known maple tree in the world is right here in Ontario near Peterborough and it is 330 years.
Artist Jen Hamilton shows how to make make a leaf print using the centuries old practice of rubbings. Gather your supplies together and watch as the textured surface of the leaf transfers onto your piece of paper.
Make multiple copies in different colours on a single sheet of paper. Name your creation or add words to describe your relationship to the trees in your neighbourhood.
Recommended materials:
1. paper
2. pencil
3. coloured pencils or crayons
4. leaves
Canada Day History Quiz and Puzzles – all day
They will be releasing several online puzzles and the fastest puzzlers will get a beautiful physical puzzle from the Shop at Museum London. They will also be testing your Canadian history with a quiz and the winners will receive a special prize that will be announced soon.
Follow on their Facebook and Instagram pages on Canada Day where they will release the puzzles and quizzes throughout the day. Prizes will be available for curbside pickup at a later date.
Canada Day London 2020 activities are made possible by the Government of Canada
OTHER ACTIVITIES IN LONDON
Golf courses are open with social distancing and other health protocols in place. Check out London area golf courses here.
We have some amazing hiking trails here in London. It’s a great way to get some fresh air while still staying safe.
Or maybe you’d prefer a quiet day of fishing. Check out the ultimate guide to fishing in London here. NOTE: The license-free fishing week has been extended this year. It now takes place July 4-19.
All Ontario provincial parks are offering free day use on Canada Day.
In the evening, you can head to the Mustang Drive-In. They’re open again with safety protocols in place.
CANADA DAY VIRTUAL FIREWORKS
This is so cool!
On July 1, wherever you are in Canada, enjoy Canada Day fireworks in a fun and innovative way. Watch on your mobile device or computer.
At 10 pm, local time, point your smart phone or tablet to the night sky and a 3-minute show displaying 3D fireworks will begin. The augmented reality experience will give you the same visual and sound effects as a real fireworks display!
Image capture will also be available for you to share with family and friends.
Canada Day Celebration Kit
The Canadian government has put out some amazing Canada Day activity packs.
Paint, read, dance, produce your own stop animation film or sing along to some of your favourite Canadian tunes.
Challenge your family and friends in a quiz, have a paper model build-off, decorate your house or share your story with other Canadians.
Get active in your backyard and explore your natural surroundings! Go on a scavenger hunt, decorate your sidewalk or work out like a Canadian athlete.
Are you an aspiring master chef? Try out fun and delicious Canadian recipes to enjoy during your Canada Day celebrations.
CANADA DAY LTC SERVICE
If you’re heading out using public transit, please note the schedule changes here:
London Transit will be operating on a current Sunday schedule on Wednesday July 1, 2020 with all routes starting at 9AM in observance of Canada Day.
Current service schedules and hours of operation will resume on Thursday July 2, 2020. Customer Service will be available at 519-451-1347 from 8:30AM to Noon and 1:00PM to 4:30PM.
The Downtown Ticket Office will be closed. For up-to-date route times and schedules use realtime.londontransit.ca or Google Maps.
More in-person and virtual Canada Day events in Ontario are outlined here.
What are your plans for Canada Day? It’s going to be different for sure, but there are plenty of ways to celebrate our nation’s birthday!
Leave a Reply