Roll, Stroll, and Celebrate!
This year, the City of Peterborough invites you to Roll, Stroll, and Celebrate: a joyful, inclusive, and accessible Canada Day event that honours the past, reflects on the present, and celebrates the diverse cultures that shape our community.
We’re reimagining Canada Day as a day of shared reflection, connection, and celebration through community, culture, and creativity. Events will take place across Quaker Foods City Square, City Hall, Millennium Park, and Del Crary Park throughout the day.
Full Event Schedule
Outdoor Movie Night - Monday, June 30 - Quaker Foods City Square
8:30 p.m. | Quaker Foods City Square
Remarks
From Dusk (9 p.m.) | Outdoor Movie Night
Kick off the celebrations with a free family-friendly movie under the stars! Bring a blanket or lawn chair and enjoy the show in the heart of downtown.
Movie Title: Vote to help us select the movie
Canada Day – Tuesday, July 1 - City Hall
10:00 – 10:45 a.m. | Opening Ceremony | City Hall
Remarks from Mayor Jeff Leal and local First Nations leaders.
11:00 – 11:45 a.m. | Community Parade
Walk, roll, or bike with us down George Street North to Millennium Park.
Led by cultural groups and community partners, this vibrant parade celebrates accessibility, diversity, and unity.
Canada Day – Tuesday, July 1 - Bike Contest
10:45 a.m. | Bike Contest | City Hall
Show off your decorated wheels before joining the community ride!
Open to all ages — kids and adults welcome
Fun prizes for categories like Most Creative, Best Use of Red & White, Best Helmet Design, and more
Loot bags for all participants
All riders must wear helmets and be accompanied by a parent/guardian
Waivers required to participate in the parade
Safety First:
After the contest, participants and their families will receive a brief safety talk and sign a Participant Waiver before joining the Community Parade along George Street North.
All biking participants must:
Have a signed waiver, available during the event
Be accompanied by a parent or guardian
Wear a helmet — no exceptions
Let your creativity roll and don’t forget to cheer for all the amazing riders in our bike brigade!
Canada Day – Tuesday, July 1 - Millennium Park
12:00 – 6:00 p.m. | Millennium Park Celebration
Enjoy an afternoon of free, family-friendly fun by the river:
Main Stage: Music and dance
Family Activity Zone: Crafts, face painting, games, storytelling
Cultural Marketplace: Artisan vendors
Food and Beverage Vendors: Variety of food and drink
Community Tents: Local non-profits and cultural groups
Canada Day – Tuesday, July 1 - Del Crary Park
7 – 10 p.m. | Evening Program | Del Crary Park
Wrap up the day with lakeside entertainment brought to you by Musicfest. Learn more about MusicFest concerts.
Canada Day – Tuesday, July 1 - Fireworks over Little Lake
9:30 p.m. | Closing Ceremony | Del Crary Park
End the day with a dazzling fireworks show lighting up the night sky over Little Lake, a Canada Day tradition you won’t want to miss!
Call for Community Participation
As part of Canada Day 2025, the City of Peterborough is honoured to present The Living Memory of Her People, a large-scale interactive multimedia installation by Michi Saagig artist Ash Street of Nogojiwanong/Peterborough and Hiawatha First Nation.
This powerful artwork explores Memory, Oral History, Anishnaabe Worldview, Land, and the responsibilities of all Treaty Peoples in the Williams Treaty Territories. Through the creation of a monumental Dress, it honours the interwoven connections of community, heritage, and land.
As a community Call to Action, we invite you to take part in this collaborative project by donating materials that reflect your story and identity—help us build a Dress that holds the memory and spirit of all peoples who call Nogojiwanong home.
How to Get Involved:
Donate textiles, beads, feathers, ribbons, or other meaningful materials that reflect your heritage, community, or connection to the land.
Drop off your items at the Peterborough Public Library – Main Circulation Desk.
Deadline: June 23, 2025
Meet the Artist:
On July 1st from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., the artist or a representative will be on site at Millennium Park alongside the installation. This is a chance to:
See the work in person
Learn about its meaning and process directly from the artist’s circle
Contribute materials and reflections on-site
Your participation will help shape a shared creation that celebrates mutual respect, responsibility, and the living memory of this place and its peoples.
Miigwech for answering the call.
Hydration Sponsor: Better Homes Peterborough
Free reusable water bottles will be given out at the entrance at Millennium Park (King and Water streets) at noon, next to the water station.
Get involved as a sponsor!
If you would like to be a sponsor at our Canada Day celebrations, email our Corporate Sponsorship team to discuss how we can activate your brand.
Transit & Accessibility: The community procession route is accessible for all mobility devices. Transit detours will be posted closer to the event date.
Weather: This event will take place rain or shine! Dress for the weather and bring water.
Sustainability:
We’re committed to a more sustainable celebration:
Water refill stations will be available in Millennium Park
Free reusable water bottles will be provided by our Hydration Sponsor Better Homes Peterborough (while supplies last). Find them next to the water refill station at the Millennium Park entrance, King and Water streets
We encourage walking, biking, or taking public transit where possible
On Canada Day, we reflect on our country's history and its relationship with Indigenous nations.
We acknowledge that Peterborough is located on the treaty and traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishinaabeg and we are all treaty people.
This event is supported by funding through the Government of Canada
Contact Us
City Hall
500 George St. N.
Peterborough, ON
K9H 3R9
Phone: 705-742-7777
Toll Free: 1-855-738-3755
Email Us
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