Canada Day event in Cape Breton sees large crowd despite weather

Thousands came out to Sydney's Centre 200 for the official Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) Canada Day festivities despite the rainy weather.

The free event was supposed to be held outside at Sydney's Open Hearth Park, but Monday’s rain caused organizers to move things indoors.

The event featured food, children’s activities like bouncy castles, Indigenous drumming and a free concert headlined by Canadian rockers Sloan.

"Because it's a way to be together, that's what this holiday is all about,” said organizer Joe Costello, when asked why the event still drew big crowds despite the late move indoors.

“It's about having things that we can do and celebrate each other in this community. We can hear great music. We have great activities that we can do, and we all get to do this for free at a place where we can all be one big community."

A photo of Canada Day celebrations at Centre 200 in Sydney. It was supposed to be held at Open Hearth Park, but weather moved it indoors. (Ryan MacDonald/CTV News)

CBRM Canada Day also included a Songwriters Picnic that featured Joel Plaskett, Mi’kmaq fiddler Morgan Toney, and many others.

While final attendance numbers for this year’s event were not immediately available, Costello said that last year’s CBRM Canada Day, which was held outdoors, drew more than 7000 people.

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