Norway Bay residents decked out in red, white and maple leaves celebrated Canada Day early on Sunday, gathering for an “elbows up” bike parade, ball hockey tournament and beach party on Sunday afternoon.
A crowd of patriotically clad bike-riders followed a Bristol Fire Department truck down to the beach, where BBQ treats and beverages, lawn games and road hockey awaited them, as well as others keen to get Canada Day celebrations underway.
The theme of this year’s event was “elbows up”, the hockey reference that this year took on a more patriotic edge in the context of the trade war with the U.S., doubling as a rallying cry for Canadians to band together.
“Elbows up is just a hockey reference,” said Patrick Byrne, president of the Norway Bay Municipal Association (NBMA) that organized the festive get-together, admitting the group tried a little harder for this year’s celebration.
“We put a little bit more effort into it this year because of all the Canada-U.S. crap.”
The event doubled as an icebreaker for the kids programs that the NBMA offers throughout the summer.
“The idea is the kids have a parade, the parents come down, have a beer and meet the instructors,” Byrne said.
The NBMA offers instruction on tennis, basketball and other field sports, canoeing and kayaking, as well as arts and crafts and theatre, and the most popular activity of all: swimming.
He said the NBMA decided to hold its Canada Day celebration early to give people who wouldn’t be in the area during the week the opportunity to join in the festivities.
Ryan Lewis and his son Gavin come up to the area on weekends, and were among those celebrating the nation’s birthday on Sunday. Ryan was exposed to the area as a child when his parents purchased a property about 25 years ago. Now, he brings his own son up on most weekends and enjoys seeing the next generation of kids experience the same summers he did.
“We’re just out here to have some fun,” Ryan said as Gavin was already shooting around in the designated road hockey area.
Sunday acted as a bit of everything for Norway Bay – a Canada Day celebration with a little extra Canadian pride and a community summer kick-off. But it all just boils down to one thing.
“It’s an excuse for a party,” Byrne said.
