“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” - John Steinbeck
This month’s column is an exercise in extremes, as we talk about winter events at the same time as we look forward to a full summer schedule!
With the sun shining and BBQ’s being lit why are we thinking about winter? The City has just opened a new, one-time grant program to activate Centennial Park during the dark winter months. Grants from $1,000 to $2,500 are available to local non-profit organizations to bring activity to Centennial. All the information and applications can be found on Mission.ca.
This program is meant to support Council’s strategic direction of creating an Activity Hub in the Centennial Park/Leisure Centre corridor, and also to provide more activities and events during the colder, rainier months. It’s also a chance to establish Centennial as more of a gathering place; this month the Activity Hub Master Plan will be released and it represents a transformation of Centennial into a vibrant, central activity space over the next several years. The Christmas lights in the park will be expanded this year, creating some ambience and atmosphere for the events and activities that are brought to the space.
Now that summer has officially started, Fraser River Heritage Park is once again a busy community gathering place with many great events happening in the next month.
Starting things off is Canada Day on July 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. This year our focus is on Mission’s heritage and we’re featuring the Westcoast Lumberjack Show. Log rolling, axe throwing and so much more will entertain, delight and amaze. Our opening ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. at the Lumberjack Show location (rather than the usual flag plaza), and the Flyball Dog Agility Show, Rotary Pancake Breakfast, Cascadia Wind Ensemble, Kid’s Zone, Zipline, community booths and food trucks and more will be on hand to make Canada Day the incredible community event it is.
Starting July 2 and continuing every Wednesday in July and August (7-8 p.m.), the Twilight Concert Series returns to the park. These are free concerts, family-friendly and meant to bring the community together to share amazing music. This summer we’ll be welcoming the Moonliters big band, Cookin’ With Brass, Big City Soul, and much more.
From July 11-13 the 4th annual Reclaiming Youth Powwow will be held at the former St. Mary’s Residential School grounds. This unique powwow is entirely youth-run and honours Indigenous youth reclaiming their culture. The Mission Powwow, originally started in the 1970s, was revived in 2022 by a group of Indigenous youth with foster care experience. They renamed it “Reclaiming Youth Powwow” in honour of the Indigenous youth who spent time at the St. Mary’s Residential School and in honour of all Indigenous youth who are making a stand to reclaim their culture today. The event has grown into a major competition powwow, attracting dancers, drummers, and spectators from across Turtle Island, and continues to be led by Indigenous youth dedicated to celebrating resilience in the face of attempted cultural erasure.
Arts and Culture is sponsoring bleachers for the powwow, giving visitors a location to watch the dancing and enjoy the event. The powwow is very much open to all, and the organizers and performers would love to see the community come out and experience this uplifting, celebratory event.
From July 10-12 the Clarke Foundation Theatre proudly presents, Ride the Cyclone the Musical! This hilarious and highly original story follows six teenagers from a Canadian chamber choir who meet an unexpected end in a roller coaster accident.
Upon awakening in limbo, they encounter the Amazing Karnak, a mechanical fortune teller who invites them to participate in a high-stakes game of life and death. Much like the different stages of grief, each character in this story is distinct and complex in their own way. However, they are all compelled to unite and collaborate to achieve their ultimate goal. Tickets at mission.ca/Clarke-Theatre.
July 19 is the 13th Annual Fraser Valley Pride Festival in Heritage Park from 12-5 p.m. Hosted by the Fraser Valley Youth Society in support of 2SLGBTQIA+ youth and allied peers. This is a vibrant, family-friendly celebration with music, drag performance and a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere.
July 25-27 the Mission Folk Music Festival returns to Heritage Park, connecting and celebrating people across cultures, geographies, and generations through music, song, stories, dance, and sharing of cultural traditions together in one of B.C.’s most beautiful parks. The Mission Folk Music Festival is all about the magic of music bringing people together!
Be sure to join your community for these great summer events!
Questions or comments? Email mark.haney@mission.ca
Mark Haney is the Manager of Arts & Culture for the City of Mission
