The countdown to Canada's 150th birthday has been well underway for a few months, and with only a couple weeks before July 1, finishing touches are being put on what could be some of the biggest Canada Day events ever seen.

A 3D Canada 150 sign has been installed in Fredericton, as well as down by the waterfront in Halifax and in Charlottetown at the Confederation Centre.

“It’s very eye-catching. I really like it,” says one Fredericton resident.

“It is a nice monument, a nice mark to take a picture and to visit,” says another.

The monument will remain in place for the rest of the year. A total of 19 Canadian cities are getting the sign, with the goal of building excitement to Canada Day 2017.

“It’s getting great attention,” says Fredericton Mayor Mike O’Brien. “People can't go by it without taking a picture of it – proud of the sign, proud of the country.”

Planning has been underway all around the region for nearly a year already.

“A lot of the entertainment acts, firework vendors, a lot of those people are in very high demand for July 1, so it was really important to get our plans to put together quickly,” says Fredericton Canada Day Committee member Paul Wentzell.

Federal funding has been key, as well.

“We knew there was a lot of extra funding available, and just where it is Canada 150 we wanted to make sure it was extra special,” Wentzell says.

The City of Halifax is getting $400,000 from Ottawa for Canada Day festivities that will be centered at the Halifax Common – a change from Alderney Landing in Dartmouth.

In Charlottetown, $200,000 in federal funding will go towards Canada 150 activities, with Victoria Park being the hub of July 1 activities.

The City of Fredericton is receiving $250,000 for Canada Day events, which will include a return of the downtown parade.

“We haven’t had a parade on Canada Day for about eight or nine years, but we figured with Canada 150 it would be a great addition to our usual celebrations,” says Wentzell. “Since everything we’re doing this year is much bigger and better, we thought it’d be a great year to bring it back.”

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Nick Moore.