Neepawa's annual Canada Day celebration July 1 is heading back to a familiar spot.
After being held at the Beatiful Plains Ag Society Fairgrounds last summer due to flooding, the weather has participated in 2012 and Canada Day will once again be celebrated at Lions Riverbend Park.
"It's Canada's birthday and I encourage the community to come see what it's like," Lions member Darren Roe, who helped organize the day, said. "Especially with all of the newcomers we have in Neepawa, it'd be good for everyone to come enjoy the day."
One of the most popular events from last year will be returning for two shows, as the Diamond Disc Dogs will excite at 4:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
"They were really well received last year," Roe noted. "They like being here and we like having them here."
The always popular Brothers of the Road perform at 7 p.m. and can be enjoyed following the supper and dessert from 5 - 6:30 p.m.
New this year and being headed by Neepawa's leisure services department will be a duck race at 7:45 p.m. where people can buy a rubber duck and race it down the river against any rivals. Ducks will be available for both youth and adult "competitions" at the park.
Children's events are set throughout the evening as well, beginning at 4:30 p.m. with face painting, a bouncer and bubble pool among some of the activities planned. Free swim at the pool will run from 6 to 9 p.m.
Lions Club-organized Canada Day celebrations always feature a great fireworks display, and this year will be no different with the show beginning at dusk.
"We're adding a little bit to the fireworks show this year so it will be as good, and probably better, than usual," Roe explained.
All of the displays and events come with a price tag though, and the Lions Club is finding it increasingly difficult to continue funding the event as Canada grows older each year.
"We're trying to run on the same budget as 12 years ago, but things are more expensive now," Roe said. "The more that is donated the easier it makes for us to keep running this."
As a result, there are donation boxes set up at businesses around town to help support this and future Canada Day celebrations. There will also be silver collection accepted around Lions Riverbend Park for those interested.
