KIM BURTON-SCHRAM
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
Glengarry certainly knows how to celebrate a holiday and Canada Day 2025 was no exception. A sea of red and white was the popular colour worn by volunteers and by most attendees to the many events spread out over the extended weekend, giving each village and hamlet the chance to celebrate within their community. The culmination of Canada Day celebrations took place on July 1, 2025, with the big noon-time parade in Alexandria, followed by family-fun activities at Island Park in North Glengarry and Smithfield Park in Lancaster.
First stop, Glen Roberston
The first of the celebrations for Canada Day took place in Glen Robertson on June 28, 2025, at the community centre in the hamlet. Organizer Francois Beauclair has been recruiting a group of dedicated volunteers for over 15 years to host the Canada Day event. With Glen Robertson being so close to the border between Ontario and Quebec – “Where Ontario Began” – Francois said it only seemed fitting to have the first of the celebrations. North Glengarry Council members, as well as MP Eric Duncan, were present at the festivities as the sun broke through the clouds to shine on the flag being raised and the national anthem sung by those in attendance. With the support of sponsors such as the Township of North Glengarry, Home Hardware, B&B Market, Richard Ranger Carpet, IDA Pharmacy, Alexandria Moulding, Glengarry Tire, Green Valley Kubota, Dejardins, Lalonde Electric, R&R Sports and Stay Net Inc., local families had lots of fun. Live music, a beer garden, arts & crafts, bouncy castle and water slide were all free to enjoy. There was even a petting zoo provided by Dameya Farms that brought bunnies to cuddle, ducks, goats and miniature baby cows to pat – all a very big hit with the kids.
Apple Hill celebrations
Apple Hill was the next stop on the Canada Day celebration path. The village hosted its event on the afternoon and into the evening of June 28, 2025. For just $5, attendees could get their choice of two hotdogs or a pulled pork sandwich and a bag of chips. There was a bar for adult refreshments, and everything could be enjoyed under a large awning with picnic tables, while listening to the amazing music of the Ceilidh Drovers. The sun was shining strong by the late afternoon and everyone, including local Councillors who took the time to partake in the celebrations, seem to be enjoying fun, family time.
Maxville festivities celebrating Canada’s birthday
June 30th saw the village of Maxville celebrating Canada Day at the local Fairgrounds. With the help of volunteers from the Maxville Recreation Association and Youth Unlimited on the day of the event, Councillor Gary Martin organized the Canada Day celebrations – something he has been doing for over 30 years. Councillor Martin even built the games for children to play. For the 12 and under group, various activities such as frisbee launch, snowball throw and ring toss, allowed kids to earn tokens to exchange for prizes. And perfectly suited to the hot summer’s evening, kids participated in a fun balloon toss and didn’t mind getting wet if their balloon burst. A $100 egg toss for youth 12 and over was held along with a karaoke sing-along contest open to anyone. Alice, proudly wearing her Canadian flag cape, and her family are from a neighbouring township. They enjoyed Canada Day in Maxville last year and knew they wanted to participate again in the 2025 festivities. The family loved the community-oriented atmosphere that wasn’t overcrowded, where kids had room to run & play and celebrate Canada’s birthday.
Family fun at Smithfield Park in Lancaster
July 1st saw even more celebrations for Canada Day. Smithfield Park in Lancaster, through the volunteer work of the Optimist Club, hosted a great afternoon of fun for families. This well-attended event had bouncy castles suited for different ages and a waterslide that was very popular. There was mini putt for budding golfers, lots of picnic tables for families to enjoy food from the Rick’s Ranch Restro and Fraser Creek Pizza. The lineup for the cotton candy showed just how tasty it was, and the afternoon talent contest provided additional fun for both participants and those watching.
Mother Nature proved a little challenging at times and the sky was imposing as black clouds passed over, but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. The free celebrations in Smithfield Park were held with the support of local sponsors, including: the Township of South Glengarry; BMR Cornwall; Long Sault Mini Storage; GTU International; Rozon Insurance; Jack Pine; the Kovinich Group; Cornwall Aviation; Knights of Columbus; Legion Branch 544 from Lancaster; Dantamz Construction; Richard Ranger Carpet; Munro Agromart; Viau Excavation; St. Pierre Autopro; and Lawrence Architects.
Canada Day parade through the streets of Alexandria
Alexandria kicked off its Canada Day celebrations with an amazing parade through the streets of town and all the way to Island Park where bouncy castles, face painting, live music, food and vendors awaited attendees. The parade was organized by the Alexandria Lions Club, a group of volunteers dedicated to supporting the community through initiatives, offering bursaries to students, contributing to local schools, sports teams and Glengarry Memorial Hospital, along with organizing the Santa Claus Parade and Canada Day festivities.
The parade thrilled the many people who lined the route and fortunately the rain held off until all participants had reached the end at Lochiel Street. North Glengarry Firefighters, walking alongside their various rescue equipment, handed out freezies to appreciative onlookers. Sparky the Fire Dog also attended the parade, to the delight of all the kids who got high-fives and hugs. Parade goers enjoyed the sounds of the Glengarry Pipes & Drums band, as well as the drumline from St. Thomas High School in Pointe-Claire, Quebec, whose band director is Kate Miller from Martintown. Classic cars and vintage tractors made their way through town, along with a big group of equestrians and their horses, all decked out in red, sporting Canadian flags, led by Rosemarie Huxted from RLH Equestrian in Dalkeith.
The afternoon festivities at Island Park in Alexandria did get hit by the downpour, but somehow, as darkness fell, between thunder rolls and fading lightening, a fantastic display of fireworks glittered over Mill Pond. Seeing local council members, and even the MP for SDG Counties, in attendance at each of the various festivities, celebrating shoulder to shoulder with residents was inspiring. Communities across both North and South Glengarry celebrated Canada Day with what seemed to be more Canadian flags hung outside houses, more red & white t-shirts worn by the crowds, and a whole lot of pride for this great country.
