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The momentum for this designation began in 1967 when Aurora residents, along with the entire country, caught a patriotic fever as the result of Canada’s centennial celebrations, and the very successful Montreal Expo.
In Aurora, Canada’s centennial celebrations took place in the middle of June and nothing was planned for Canada’s actual birthday. This wasn’t acceptable for the residents of Richardson Drive and they decide to organize a street party for July 1st. The street party was repeated the following year and by 1969 the whole town wanted to participate in celebrating July 1st – hence the proclamation.
This is the foundation for Aurora Canada’s Birthday Town and what followed was many enduring traditions, including: parades, live music, races, competitions, balloon races, themed beer gardens and more. During the 1970s and 1980s Aurora was the place to be if you wanted to celebrate Canada’s birthday. It wasn’t until the early 1980s that other municipalities began to observe July 1st as a proper holiday – and that took financial incentives from the Federal Government.
To say Aurora was ahead of its time in celebrating July 1st would be a big understatement. Fifty years after the proclamation, it’s clear that Aurora Canada’s Birthday Town is much more than a designation; it’s a shared history that set a national precedent for what July 1st should be.
In Aurora, Canada’s centennial celebrations took place in the middle of June and nothing was planned for Canada’s actual birthday. This wasn’t acceptable for the residents of Richardson Drive and they decide to organize a street party for July 1st. The street party was repeated the following year and by 1969 the whole town wanted to participate in celebrating July 1st – hence the proclamation.
This is the foundation for Aurora Canada’s Birthday Town and what followed was many enduring traditions, including: parades, live music, races, competitions, balloon races, themed beer gardens and more. During the 1970s and 1980s Aurora was the place to be if you wanted to celebrate Canada’s birthday. It wasn’t until the early 1980s that other municipalities began to observe July 1st as a proper holiday – and that took financial incentives from the Federal Government.
To say Aurora was ahead of its time in celebrating July 1st would be a big understatement. Fifty years after the proclamation, it’s clear that Aurora Canada’s Birthday Town is much more than a designation; it’s a shared history that set a national precedent for what July 1st should be.
