Here’s a guide to the events taking place for Canada Day in various NWT communities on July 1, 2023.
This isn’t an exhaustive list, we know we’ll be missing some! Email Ollie with a link or details to have an event in your community added to this page.
Yellowknife
This year’s Canada Day parade in Yellowknife leaves 49 Avenue next to City Hall at 11am, proceeds down 48 Street, turns south along Franklin Avenue and ends at the Forrest Drive intersection.
Participants in the Canada Day Mile, a running race being held for the second time, will depart just before the parade begins.
The city will run a kids’ zone at Somba K’e Park from 1pm with face painting, entertainment from Bella Beats and Yellowknife Gymnastics, a bouncy castle, balloon artist and magician.
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Live music follows after 4pm, including a Dene drum dance at 7pm.
Fort McPherson
Fort McPherson is hosting a triathlon on Friday, June 30, with $1,600 for the winning four-person team in a run-bike-paddle contest.
On Saturday, July 1, a truck, bike and quad parade will roll past the Northern store from 1pm, with a cookout and games outside the hamlet office. There’s also a tug-of-war contest and bingo. Details are on the hamlet’s Facebook page.
Fort Simpson
Fort Simpson’s parade starts at 11:30am ahead of a community barbecue at the arbor from noon. The arbor hosts a bouncy castle and games from 12:30pm then a formal Canada Day ceremony and cake-cutting at 1pm.
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A beach day runs from 2-4pm with a golf tournament starting at 3pm. Find more details on the visitor information centre’s Facebook page.
Fort Smith
Fort Smith’s Canada Day parade starts at the rec centre at noon then performs a loop along King, McDougall, Portage, Marine, Camsell, McDougall and King before returning to the start.
Conibear Park will host an afternoon of activities from 1pm, featuring a free barbecue, live music, a bouncy castle and food vendors. Full details are on the town’s website.
Hay River
Hay River’s Canada Day parade takes place through the downtown area from 10:30am. Floats will depart the service road near Esso and Shell and will finish at the NorthMart parking lot.
The Fisherman’s Wharf market opens from 10am till 3pm with live music at the wharf from 11am, a flag-raising ceremony at 11:45am, free hot dogs and burgers from 12pm, and a boat parade at 1pm. Details are on Hay River Tourism’s Facebook page.
Inuvik
Inuvik’s Canada Day festivities take place in Chief Jim Koe Park from 1pm till 6pm. The town says events will include a barbecue, live music and a range of games.
Beforehand, the parade will start at 12pm from Reliance St, including a contest for best-decorated bike taking part in the parade as well as the usual contest for best-decorated float. Judging takes place in the MSRC parking lot at the end of the parade.
The Legion will host a beer garden at 3pm with a washer toss tournament from 5pm, and will also have a giant Canada Day cake.
Norman Wells
Canada Day in Norman Wells begins with a pancake breakfast from 9am at the Yamouri Inn, followed by a parade at 11am (starting on the road beside the community hall) and a barbecue with cake at the ball field from noon.
Norman Wells’ citizen of the year will receive their award in a 1pm ceremony at the ball field, then there’ll be food and a kids’ carnival. A public swim with “fun swimming games” runs from 3pm till 5pm at Penguin Palace.
