Canada is planning a winter holiday this year, with a National Park Service announcement to kick off the festivities.
The National Parks Service announced on Monday that a holiday will be celebrated on Nov. 3, 2017, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the celebration including a live broadcast of the national holiday theme song “Snowfall” by the popular Canadian band Chiles.
The event will be broadcast live on TV in the National Parks service’s offices in Gatineau, Que., and will be accompanied by a parade, fireworks and music from local bands.
The holiday will also include the unveiling of a new Snow Mountain sculpture.
The announcement is the latest effort by the parks service to make the holiday a part of the holiday celebrations in national parks.
“We are excited to celebrate Canada’s first National Parks Holiday, and we invite everyone to join us for a day of snowmobiling, snowshoeing, snowmobiles and other fun and festive activities,” said Julie Gervais, the National Park Services deputy chief of staff.
“The National Parks can be a great place to celebrate family time and celebrate our shared heritage, and this holiday will help to celebrate our national parks and their unique beauty and the rich history that has been passed down through generations.”
The National Park service, which has been making the holiday the centerpiece of its programs, will also celebrate Canada 150, with events across the country that commemorate the 150th anniversary of Confederation.
“This holiday is so much about celebrating the great things that our country stands for,” said Gervas, who also noted that the holiday has inspired Canada’s national anthem, “Our Country.”
The snow mountain sculptures will be unveiled in Gatines River National Park.
“I’m sure everyone will want to get out there and get up close and personal with one of the sculptures, so I think it’s going to be a real experience for everyone,” said John Eisley, the park service’s director of public and government relations.
Eisly said that the National Capital Commission will oversee the unveiling and installation of the sculpture, but that the commission would be happy to host the ceremony at the National Museum of Canada, which will have a public open house on the day of the event.
“It’s a little bit of a bit of an honor to be able to do this with the National Gallery of Canada,” Eisleysaid.
The ceremony will take place on Dec. 2, with the park services goal of having the sculpture in place by the time Canada celebrates its 150th birthday on March 5.
The sculpture will be part of a larger display, including a snowflake sculpture by the National Arts Council and a snow-filled replica of a Canada Goose that will also be unveiled.
The park service announced that it will also host a “holiday celebration” on Dec: 2.
“A snowmobiler rides a snowmobile in the snow in Gatlinburg, Nev.,” reads the announcement.
“On Dec. 3rd, the Parks and Resorts Canada (Parks) will celebrate Canada with a snowmobilling event in Gatining.
The snowmobile will be followed by the national anthem playing in the Park and the Parade.”
The event is free and open to the public, and the park has posted a calendar on its website for people to attend the event, which includes a free snowshoing workshop.
