The Canada Day Parade returns to Whistler in 2024 but with one key difference. Only electric motors will be permitted on floats, which means electric bikes, golf carts, etc. RMOW says this change to a non-motorized parade aligns with climate change goals.
“Whistler’s once-annual Canada Day Parade will return in 2024 with one notable difference: for the first time, with the unanimous approval by Council, the parade will skip the large vehicles,” RMOW noted in a council meeting summary on its website.
The 2024 celebrations will begin at 8 am with a group yoga class, followed by the Rotary Pancake Breakfast from 9 am to 11 am. From 11 am to 4 pm, the Village Stroll will be alive with activities and entertainment for locals and visitors.
The day also marks the first of the Whistler Summer Concert Series. RMOW staff is also speaking with Whistler Blackcomb about a possible collaboration around the 25th anniversary of the bike park. Talks are also being held with the Whistler Museum and Archives and the Multicultural Society to help showcase the community’s heritage, culture, and diversity. The Invictus Games team will also likely be part of the Canada Day parade.
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The last Whistler Canada Day parade was held in 2019 before being placed on hold due to COVID-19. When public gatherings returned in 2022, the event found a new focus as a Village-based festival. The traditional parade was replaced with a “People’s Parade” approach, encouraging thousands of locals and visitors to move around the village.
While the festival atmosphere was well-received, the Council heard feedback that the community wanted the popular parade to return. At a council meeting on Tuesday, May 14, the Festivals Events & Animation team presented two options. One would build on last year’s Village festival concept to include more points of interest and animation throughout the village. The other would bring back the original parade as a non-motorized event.
The council chose the parade concept.