Canada celebrated its 157th birthday on July 1st, and what better way to mark the occasion than with a good old-fashioned Canadian block party with our American friends, neighbours, Embassy team, their families, and our community here in Washington!
Guests were dressed in red and white, Canadian music filled the courtyard, and the smell of maple syrup drifted along Pennsylvania Avenue. The Embassy served an all-Canadian brunch featuring pancakes, maple syrup, link sausage, smoked bacon, and fruit. No Canadian brunch would be complete without Tim Hortons coffee and the classic Caesar – a cocktail like the popular Bloody Mary, but with a uniquely Canadian twist: Clamato juice, a spicy kick, and a celery salt rim. Guests could also be found cooling off by the Niagara Falls misters or enjoying a game of cornhole.
This year, Les Petits Chanteurs du Mont-Royal, a youth choir from Montreal’s St. Joseph’s Oratory, sang an exceptional bilingual rendition of “O Canada,” adding a warm and joyful touch of home to our celebrations. Following the anthem, biodegradable red and white confetti filled the air alongside applause that rang with pride for Canada’s Day.
Ambassador Kirsten Hillman welcomed guests, extending warm Canada Day wishes to everyone celebrating in Canada and the U.S. She highlighted the strong bond between our countries: “We are friends. We are partners. We are allies,” she said, noting that “it’s something that we shouldn’t take for granted.” A sentiment that we can carry and reflect on this week as we celebrate both Canada Day and Independence Day.
Each year, it’s a joy to gather with our American friends and fellow Canadians to celebrate Canada in such an iconic location, as the only Embassy on Pennsylvania Avenue situated between the Capitol and the White House. See you again next year!