The City of White Rock is planning to make the seaside community a one-stop shop of delights this July 1.
The city’s Canada Day by the Bay celebration schedule promises a full day of family-friendly fun, plus arts and entertainment events geared to all ages – including an appearance by ‘Elvis’ and ‘Marilyn’ and main stage headliner Ben Rogers – and concluding with the annual fireworks display, at 10:15 p.m.
The day’s activities start at 8 a.m. with the Canada Day Rock 10K Run/Walk/Jog (see page 43, www.DoTheRock.ca), followed at 10 a.m. by a slew of events on both East Beach and West Beach.
They include displays by artists and artisans that will take place along the promenade on both shorefronts until 4 p.m.
On East Beach, a B.C. Kitefliers Association display will run 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; a kids zone with a bouncy castle, face painting by Jennifer Healy and balloon twisting with Korki the Clown will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; while a children’s sandcastle event starts with registration at 10 a.m. and runs to 1 p.m.
On West Beach, White Rock Museum and Archives will hold a long-awaited open house to give the public a first look at its newly-refurbished historic Great Northern station headquarters (10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.) while the White Rock Firefighters will be selling hot dogs from noon to 2 p.m.
The West Beach main stage, sponsored by Maximum Collision, will open at 11 a.m. and, following cake cutting and renewal of citizenship ceremonies, MC Jason Mitchell will introduce a full roster of performers, according to entertainment co-ordinator Philip Q. Davey.
First up are Dylan and Devon (noon) and children’s entertainer Bertolt (12:30 p.m.)
They’ll be followed by Laine Henderson (1:30 p.m.); Wendy Bollard (2:30 p.m.); Pancho and Sal (3:30 p.m.), Dennis Pook and Joni Anderson (4:30 p.m.) and Token Rhyme (5:30 p.m.).
“Laine is a great singer, classically trained in voice and guitar, who studied at the Berklee School in Boston; Wendy is a fabulous jazz singer and Pancho and Sal have this wonderful South American ethnic feel to their music,” Davey said. “Joni Anderson has one of the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard, and Dennis is an incredible guitarist. And Token Rhyme is a tremendous local band.”
At 6:30 p.m., Elvis and Marilyn Monroe will be on stage live thanks to a husband and wife team of impersonators who reportedly have their style and mannerisms down to a ‘T’.
Dogwood and Dahlia (7:20 p.m.) take retro style in more folky, old-timey direction.
“They’re a young couple who went to school at Earl Marriott Secondary and they look like something out of Saskatchewan in 1946,” Davey said. “She plays banjo and he plays guitar and they’re incredibly talented.”
Alternative rock/pop band Their There (7:35 p.m.) has far transcended its beginnings at Marriott with several years of dues-paying gigs, Davey said.
Headliner Ben Rogers (8:30 p.m.) is a rising performer in the Lower Mainland who has been compared with Bob Dylan and whose avowed influences include Tom Waits and Johnny Cash.
“He’s one of the greatest singer-songwriters you’ll ever hear,” Davey said.
Surrey celebrates
Meanwhile, Canada Day celebrations in Surrey at the Cloverdale Millennium Amphitheatre (176 Street at 64 Avenue) will also include an act well-known to Peninsula audiences.
The Oh Wells, who have made the Top 20 in the Peak Performance Project, will be featured in a special two-stage showcase with the other bands. The young South Surrey-based band can be seen at 5:40 p.m. on the Peak’s second stage.
Main stage performers at the Surrey event include rock legends Trooper (featuring White Rock’s Ra McGuire), Prairie classic rock heroes Harlequin, pop songstress/TV star Elise Estrada, country performers the Jeffersons featuring Lisa Brokop and Big River’s tribute to Johnny Cash, plus special appearances by South Surrey’s Mark Donnelly and DJ collective The Freshest.
For a full Surrey schedule, visit www.surrey.ca