When I was a child, there would be a parade on St Jean Baptiste day (June 24th) and fireworks for Canada day (one week later on July 1st). Later, the politics shifted and St Jean Baptiste day (a Quebec only holiday) became the BIG event, with huge outdoor concerts and bonfires.
In my neighborhood, the officials have devised an economical and politically correct way to deal with this celebration overload/conflict. They hold one big party midway between both holidays. In the afternoon they have rides and activities for the children and later, when darkness falls, they have a fireworks display. It is not huge like the ones at la Ronde but it is close to home and fun…I remember when my firstborn was a baby, holding him up to show him the lights outside his window…Through the years we went as a family, sitting in the grass, getting smoke in our eyes when the wind was blowing towards us, other years getting caught in a suprise rain strom, later watching from the dog run enclosure so Bacchus could be with us…This year I went alone, but still felt the thrill when the first burst exploded…
Fireworks are hard to photograph, but I tried…
