Canada Day Celebrations Are Coming To Goderich!

It’s hard to believe we are already looking to Canada Day and all the fun activities that take place over the July 1st weekend! Ready or not, Goderich Tourism has been working with the wonderful organization and service clubs of Goderich to bring you a wonderful weekend!

We will kick off the weekend with the FIREWORKS DISPLAY at the Goderich Waterfront on June 30th. The first lights will hit the sky around dusk, so be sure to head down early to secure your spot! The Maitland Air Cadets will be collecting donations at all the major Waterfront entrances and would appreciate your support in hosting this event. Should the weather not cooperate, we will reset the night for July 1st.

After our evening of sky-high entertainment, we invite you up to the Courthouse Square Plaza for a FREE FAMILY PICNIC from 11 am to 2 pm (while supplies last). The Goderich Scouts will be cooking and serving from the Goderich Lions hotdog roaster and will not doubt have your dog ready to go in no time flat!  While you enjoy a hot dog, cold beverage, and a slice of Canada Day cake, band Tell It To Sweeney will have your toes tapping as they perform on the Courthouse Performance Stage. And be sure to give a special thank you to the good folks at Goderich Food Basics and Zehrs Goderich for making this picnic possible!

Now that your bellies are full, the Town of Goderich has a feast for your eyes! The GODERICH CANADA DAY PARADE will start at 2 pm and will feature a number of amazingly decorated floats and performers from Goderich and abroad. The route will start at West and Wellington Streets and travel up West Street to Courthouse Square. We move clockwise around the Square to South Street, where the parade will end at South and Elgin Ave. 

The Goderich BIA will keep the party going after the parade on the Performance Stage with musician, Justin Maki. Maki will take the stage after the parade ends and will wrap up around 3:45pm. 

That gives you just enough time to head to the Goderich waterfront for the next free activity! The Goderich Marina will be hosting their Waterfront Sail-By Parade at 4 pm. This water-bound parade is a spectacle to see, so add it to your “To Do” List for that weekend!

Then on Sunday, July 2rd, the Annual Lion’s Beef BBQ will be serving up their delicious meats and treats. Tickets are available at Goderich Tourism and tend to sell out quickly so be sure to get in a get your tickets early. And not to worry if you’ve ate too much, you can stay put and digest to the sounds of the Goderich Laketown Band concert starting at 6:30 pm on the performance stage in Lions Harbour Park.

And catch the BIA Farmer’s Market and Sunday Market taking place from 9 am to 2 pm, both Saturday and Sunday. While you are there, find the starting point for the Goderich Canada Day Scavenger Hunt and follow the clues to complete the 13-stop scavenger hunt!

There’s a whole lot going on so be sure to check out Goderich Tourism’s Facebook page and Instragram for the most up-to-date information, and take a look at www.exploregoderich.ca for a complete list of summer events.

2023 Parade Entries - Always Accepting Late Participants!

Registration for the 2023 Canada Day Parade has closed BUT…. 

You can still participate! If you would like to join the parade, bring your completed float to the corner of South Street and Elgin Ave no later than 1:30pm where our EXCELLENT parade marshalls will find a spot for you.

NO THROWING CANDY FROM FLOATS, HANDING OUT IS ACCEPTED

WHEN: July 1st, 2023
MARSHALLING: 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM (Elgin Avenue West)

PARADE: 2:00 PM Start
ROUTE START: Wellington Street and West Street
Travelling East up West Street to Courthouse Square
Moving clockwise around Courthouse Square to South Street
ROUTE END: South Street and Elgin Avenue West

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

All Weekend

Friday, June 30

Saturday, July 1

Sunday, July 2

Goderich Canada Day Scavenger Hunt
Enjoy a 13 stop Scavenger Hunt which will take you all around Goderich using fun and challenging clues to help you learn a little more about “Canada’s Prettiest Town”. The starting clue will be in Courthouse Square Park and will be available to folks from Thursday, June 29 to Tuesday, July 4.

Waterfront Fireworks Display
We will kick off the weekend with our evening fireworks display. Special thanks to the Goderich Marina for their donation of the barge to make these displays possible. The Maitland Air Cadet Squadron will be accepting donations at all the major entry points. The display starts at dusk and will be rescheduled for July 1 should the weather not cooperate.

9 AM – 2 PM BIA Farmer’s Market
The BIA Farmer’s Market will be in full swing for Saturday morning and will no doubt have some special additions to vendors’ wares in celebration of this weekend!

11 AM – 2 PM Free Family Picnic
Hotdogs, cold beverages, and cake will be served up (while supplies last) at the Courthouse Square Plaza by the Scouts. Special thanks to Goderich Food Basics and Zehrs Goderich for their generous donations and support, and to the Goderich Lions Club for the use of their hot dog cooker.

11:30 AM – 2 PM Tell It To Sweeny
While folks enjoy their picnic, Tell It To Sweeny will be performing on the Performance Stage. A special thanks to the Goderich BIA for their generous support to make this performance possible.

2 PM Canada Day Parade
The Canada Day Parade will follow the traditional parade route and will start promptly at 2 pm. Folks wishing to take part in the parade can join at South St. and Elgin Ave to be added into the parade. 

3 PM – 3:34 PM Justin Maki
After the parade, the Goderich BIA will keep the party going with performer, Justin Maki, on the Courthouse Performance Stage!

4 PM Waterfront Parade
The Goderich Marina will be hitting the high seas at 4 pm for their sail-by parade. This spectacle often stretches the length of the waterfront and makes a fun addition to your July long weekend

9 AM – 2 PM BIA Sunday Market
The BIA Sunday Market will be taking place in the Courthouse Square and will be the perfect spot to find a Canada Day treasure.

3:30 PM Lions Beef BBQ
The Lions will be in Lions Harbour Park serving up a delicious meal. Tickets are available now at Goderich Tourism.

6:30 PM Goderich Laketown Band Sunday Concert
As part of their summer concert series, the Goderich Laketown Band will be performing on the Lions Harbour Park stage for folks looking to enjoy a beautiful evening outside.