The day started on a soggy note but us Canadians aren't afraid of a little rain which didn't deter thousands from attending a Canada Day celebration somewhere in the country. Our choice, as a family, this year was Mattamy Homes Canada Day in Barrhaven in our former hometown of Barrhaven, Ontario (a suburb of Ottawa).
For years Barrhaven businesses have banded together to put on one of the top Canada Day celebrations in Ottawa. Interestingly enough, although we only moved out of Barrhaven into the Thousand Islands region about 5 years ago, we never, as a family anyway, went to the Canada Day celebrations until this year.
The draw for us this year, other than the fact that we still have family in Barrhaven and still consider it our favourite suburb of Ottawa, was Leah Daniels...and Blackwell Band but unfortunately weather tied us up and delayed our departure from home and we missed Braiden and the Blackwell boys completely.
Leah Daniels had just taken to the stage when we arrived and I was amazed at how well she took to the dozen or so young children that had gathered in front of the stage for her show. The 2015 CMAO Rising Star winner wasted no time getting these kids engaged in her performance and clearly loved every minute of it, as did the kids. Leah sang and yodeled her heart out and thrilled the crowd with her performance of her smash single "Go Back". If you didn't get enough of Leah on Canada Day, or happened to be downtown for Gord Bamford or in Kanata for Brett Kissel or even somewhere else in the country, be sure to check her out in just a few weeks when she takes to the main stage July 26 at the Capital Country Fest @ Spencerville Stampede in Spencerville, you'll be glad you did...oh and Blackwell Band will be opening for her on that night as well. It was nice to also get the opportunity to meet Leah myself, especially since almost everyone else involved in Sound Check have now met her numerous times.
Following Leah was a star studded extravaganza made up of artists that put the 2015 Bluesfest lineup to shame...all in one performance from the 70's all the way to present day. With performances by ABBA, Madonna, Roxette, Michael Jackson, B52's, Cheap Trick, Cindy Lauper, Kanye West, Psy, AC/DC and so many more the Famous Live Band was absolutely spectacular. From start to finish the music didn't stop once and the costume changes must've easily been in the hundreds over the course of two hours. If you ever have the opportunity to see this act live don't miss it. We were thoroughly impressed.
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What's a Canada Day without a flyover by the famous Snow-Birds. It's an annual tradition for them to flyover Parliament Hill and after their afternoon pass they did a quick pass by near the crowd celebrating in Barrhaven on their way back to the Ottawa International Airport.
The entire night was capped off by an explosive fireworks display.
If you are in the Ottawa area and want a perfect place to celebrate Canada Day in 2016, and beyond, and don't want to deal with the massive crowds of downtown be sure to checkout the Canada Day in Barrhaven celebration. I know we'll be there. For more information checkout their website: http://canadadaybarrhaven.blogspot.ca/
Field Service Tech by day, Live Music Nut by night! My family and I call the Thousand Islands region of Ontario home. I'm a blogger, social media geek, tech, and live music fanatic. I founded Sound Check Entertainment in 2010 to help promote festivals and emerging artists from across Canada and the world! I now act as festivals liaison, manage media relations and, of course, cover events in the National Capital region. I'm also a diehard Habs fan but Sens fans fear not; as long as they aren't playing against my Habs I cheer just as loud for the Sens.
