Guelph residents are invited to a free Canada Day bash at Riverside Park on July 1, with festivities running from 3 to 10 p.m. The event will feature fireworks, food trucks, vendors, bouncy castles, live music, a beer garden and family activities, marking one of the city’s biggest annual community gatherings.
This year’s celebration carries added weight as it will be the last Canada Day hosted by Mayor Cam Guthrie, who announced in March that he will not seek re-election in October. Guthrie has served as Guelph’s mayor since December 2014 and said earlier this year he plans to “step aside and pass the baton” after three terms.
The beloved Riverside Park event, held at 709 Woolwich Street, has drawn roughly 30,000 attendees annually in the past. It was nearly lost in 2024 when the Rotary Club of Guelph, which had organized the fireworks for decades, stepped away due to declining membership and financial pressures after COVID-19.
In 2025, Supercrawl Productions took over organizing duties with up to $40,000 in city funding. The group, led by Tim Potocic, also runs the Sonic Hall venue in Guelph and previously managed Hamilton’s Canada Day event for five years.
The park itself has been a community cornerstone since 1905 and remains the city’s top spot for major festivals. With Guthrie preparing to leave office, the July 1 celebration offers residents a chance to come together and welcome a new chapter for the city.
