PRINCE RUPERT, B.C. – Prince Rupert will once again join cities from coast to coast for the annual Canada Day Drumming celebration, a nationwide event that will see thousands of people drumming together on Tuesday, July 1.
The free, family-friendly event will take place in the lower parking lot of the Rupert Square Shopping Mall, with residents asked to gather by 11:15 a.m. At exactly 11:30 a.m. PST, Prince Rupert will join communities across the country in a simultaneous drumming session to celebrate Canada’s cultural diversity and community strength.
Free rattle drums and miniature Canada flags will be distributed to participants. The local celebration will also feature a traditional Lion Dance and other multicultural performances. In case of rain, the event will move indoors to the mall’s lower-level lobby.
For the event’s national founder, this year’s celebration in Prince Rupert is a poignant homecoming. His family has deep roots in the city, where his grandfather opened the popular West End Restaurant in 1918, a business the family ran for generations.
“Prince Rupert is where my family’s Canadian story began,” the national chair said. “To return here with a message of unity and inclusion feels especially meaningful.”
The local organizer for the event echoed that sentiment. “This event is about coming together in a way that’s joyful and welcoming—where everyone can take part in their own way, whether drumming, watching, or simply showing up to be part of the community,” she said.
Now in its ninth year, Canada Day Drumming has become one of the country’s largest simultaneous celebrations, presented by the non-profit Legacy 150 Celebrations Society to promote multicultural harmony and civic pride.
