Since the start of 2017, Canada has been celebrating its 150th anniversary of Confederation with a number of official ceremonies and commemorations. The yearlong celebration, which has been promoted by the Canadian government as Canada 150, has been a natural theme for a variety of annual events, including fund-raising galas, festivals, and brand activations, as it has been for event services such as catering companies and gift vendors.
From incorporating the Canadian flag, lumberjacks, and maple leaves into decor to offering customized catering menus, here’s a look at how events and vendors in Canadian cities have celebrated the sesquicentennial anniversary.
The National Ballet School hosted its annual fund-raising gala in March at the Carlu in Toronto. The event theme, Canadiana, celebrated the country’s 150th anniversary with decor inspired by Canada’s four seasons. The dining hall was inspired by winter and featured frosted branches at each table. Candice & Alison designed the event.
A forest-inspired DJ booth featured a DJ dressed as a lumberjack.
Niagara Catholic School Board designed the event’s welcome garden.
The Royal Ontario Museum celebrated the anniversary with its ROM Ball on May 6. The event, which showcased musician and photographer Bryan Adams’s photo exhibition of 28 Canadian icons called “Canadians,” featured wall projections of the Canadian flag and red “150” maple leafs. The event was designed by digital video company the Mustard Shop, event designer William Fulghum, and the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario's gala team.
The red carpet area featured a ceiling installation of golden maple leafs, along with black cutouts of moose silhouettes.
The Toronto Blue Jays’ Jays Care Foundation held its ninth annual Curve Ball fund-raising gala in May at the Rogers Centre. The event celebrated Canada’s 150th anniversary with decor that included a Canadian flag mosaic wall that served as a backdrop for DJ Sophie Jones. The wall was created with pictures of kids from the foundation’s program.
Other decor elements included a giant illuminated moose.
The 11th edition of Toronto’s Luminato Festival took place June 14 to 25 downtown. Starbucks Canada hosted a live art event in David Pecaut Square, where local artist Leyland Adams spray-painted people’s wishes for Canada’s future as part of the national #150PlusWishes campaign, which celebrates the country's 150th anniversary.
Mattress delivery company Casper celebrated the anniversary with a Canada-inspired version of its nap tour, which traveled to Vancouver, Montreal, Ottawa, and Toronto in June and early July. The activation, which invites people to take naps in branded nap pods, featured a Canadian spin with a gift shop that offered Swell bottles, flags, hats, and more with the names of provinces.
The activation featured a branded lounge and RV that invited passersby to enjoy a nap with Casper products.
The fourth annual Taste of Toronto took place in June at Garrison Common in Fort York. For the anniversary, event chefs gave attendees 150 of the city’s best-kept foodie secrets, including the best burger in the city and the ideal cocktail spot. The full list of 150 secrets is on the Taste of Toronto website.
The Redpath Waterfront Festival took place over Canada Day weekend July 1 to 3 at Sherbourne Common and HTO Park. The event marked the official launch of Redpath Sugar’s Ontario 150 Tour, which will have the event travel to five other waterfront communities through August. Presented by Bill Bishop Airport, the kickoff festival featured a variety of interactive shows, activities, and photo ops, including the World’s Largest Rubber Duck. The attraction marks the first time the 61-foot-tall, 79-foot-wide yellow duck has visited Canada.
The West Coast Lumberjack Show presented a 45-minute presentation of lumberjack demonstrations, including log rolling, tree climbing, and axe throwing. The Show has been featured on Canada’s Got Talent, The Bachelor Canada, and Bates Motel.
Toronto-based event management and catering company Entertainment Special Events & Catering is celebrating the anniversary by offering a Canada 150 tribute menu. Menu items include canapés such as spicy autumn prairie vegetable pakora cubes with cucumber yogurt; Niagara ice wine gravlax on black bread crostini with caviar creme fraiche; Alberta beef tartar in savory cones with mustard seed vinaigrette and baby radish salad; and a “Les Crepes” station that offers warm crepes with a choice of toppings that include caramelized apples, butterscotch sauce, dark chocolate syrup, and vanilla whipped cream.
KFC Canada recently celebrated the country’s milestone by changing its name to K’ehFC, with newly designed buckets of chicken and a rebranded website. The company’s first Canadian store in Saskatoon, which debuted in 1955, also was rebranded.
Thierry Cafe in Vancouver recently celebrated with limited-edition Canada-theme desserts, including hazelnut macarons with maple buttercream, and a birthday cake made with chewy hazelnut dacquoise, a maple ganache with toasted hazelnuts, light maple cream, and a layered dark chocolate mousse.
Vancouver-based corporate gift and service company Janet Helm is offering a variety of items that can be customized with the official Canada 150 logo. The merchandise, which also can be co-branded with company logos, includes stainless steel cups, bowls, and wine bottle coasters. Prices are available on the Janet Helm website.
