Fireworks and a drone light show part of Canada Day parties across Mississauga

Mississauga residents who want to get out and celebrate Canada Day in the city tomorrow (July 1) with fireworks and a variety of other activities for the entire family have at least four locations from which to choose.

In the downtown core, Canada Day is being marked once again with a big party at Celebration Square that runs from 4 to 10:30 p.m.

The day’s events, which include live entertainment, food trucks, kids games and much more, wrap up with what organizers say will be a “spectacular” fireworks display beginning at about 10:05 p.m.

Last year, after a two-year absence due to COVID-19, the colourful fireworks celebrations returned to Celebration Square and other locations across Mississauga.

And those other locations, namely Port Credit, Streetsville and Malton, are all hosting big celebrations again this year.

City of Mississauga Ward 5 Councillor Carolyn Parrish said Mississauga residents are best served when all parts of the city are hosting Canada Day parties complete with fireworks.

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“I’m pleased to hear that Streetsville, Malton and Port Credit are doing their own Canada Day (celebrations again) because it keeps the congestion down in the City Centre (Celebration Square), which is a fabulous performance as well,” Parrish said at Wednesday’s (June 28) City council meeting.

“But it also knits those communities together. I know Malton is so isolated up there that I doubt if anybody ever came down from Malton for Canada Day (at Celebration Square).”

The councillor said Malton’s Canada Day party will once again take place at Westwood Square mall, with an afternoon and evening filled with family events capped off by an impressive fireworks display shortly after 10 p.m.

“We’re putting on a big show again this year. We missed the two years of COVID, but we were up and running last year and we’ve really expanded it and are putting even more stuff in this year,” said Parrish, noting the fireworks display by StarLite Pyrotechnics will again take place from the roof of Westwood Square.

“It’s really becoming a fabulous community event. Everybody gets involved…it’s a really fun place to be from.”

A cake float at last year’s Paint the Town Red Canada Day parade.

On Mississauga’s waterfront in Port Credit, the annual Paint the Town Red Canada Day parade and celebration marks its 20th year, and first without former mayor Hazel McCallion, who died earlier this year.

“Hazel McCallion will be missed,” Ward 1 Councillor Stephen Dasko said Wednesday, adding the former iconic mayor took part in every Canada Day parade in Port Credit.

Paint the Town Red offers a full day and night of entertainment for people of all ages, with most of the festivities taking place at Port Credit Memorial Park.

Besides the parade, a kids zone, barbecue at the Port Credit Legion Branch 82 and musical entertainment on the main stage in the park are just a few of the things on tap.

The party will be capped off by a huge fireworks display to take place in the park at about 10:15 to 10:30 p.m.

Paint the Town Red has attracted tens of thousands of visitors each year since its inception in 2003.

Meanwhile, in addition to the annual fireworks display at the Streetsville Canada Day bash, hosted by the Streetsville BIA, there’s something unique happening as well.

“One neat, unique part other than fireworks is going to be a drone light show, which is quite different..in advance of the fireworks,” Ward 11 Councillor Brad Butt told his colleagues on Wednesday.

Canada Day celebrations in Streetsville get underway at 6 p.m. and continue throughout the evening at the Village Square and Streetsville Memorial Park, culminating with the fireworks shortly after 10 p.m.

Musical entertainment is on tap as well in Streetsville.

Admission to all Canada Day celebrations and the fireworks displays is free.

Residents planning to attend any of the outdoor celebrations are urged to first check on the air quality in Mississauga.

Smoke from ongoing wildfires in northern Ontario and Quebec continues to make its way south, blanketing much of southern Ontario and posing potential risks to health.