There's plenty to do in Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview on our nation's 141st birthday.

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Hanne Armstrong

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Moncton, Dieppe and Riverview are all set to celebrate Canada's birthday in fine style. No matter where your interests lie, there's sure to be something for you during the day's festivities.

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"I like everything we're presenting," says Colette McLaughlin of Moncton's community development for culture department. "Our concerts and events will have a multicultural flavour to reflect the cultural make-up of our community."

For starters, how about sipping on a cup of tea at the Victorian tea room in the Thomas Williams House at 103 Park St? It runs from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. History buffs can further enjoy historic walking tours leaving from City Hall at 2 and 3 p.m. A multi-cultural percussion show runs from 2-4 p.m., also at City Hall.

Things move to Riverfront Park at 5 p.m., when Beauséjour Gymnos is putting on a gymnastics demonstration. Starting at around 5:30 p.m., kids and kids at heart will be in their element with face-painting, balloons, games and giant inflatable bounces. Food vendors will be on hand to help ward off hunger and thirst.

Moncton's official Canada Day Concert is set to start at 7 p.m. Featured performers are The Keats, Khalid El Idrissi, Chris Colepaugh & the Cosmic Crew, and Ode à l'Acadie. This last band will play a special 400th birthday salute to Québec City. Activities wind down as dusk approaches and crowds increase in size for the fireworks display scheduled for 10 p.m.

Dieppe, too, has plenty of family fun, music, and activities planned. Events will take place in Place 1604, running from 3:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

"Canada Day is big for everyone," says community officer Annie Belliveau. "School is out, it's a fun day that ends with fireworks."

This year Dieppe's entertainment features hip-hop and African dance shows, djembe drummers, and games and a magician for the kids. There are of course official Canada Day ceremonies and birthday cake, too, and M&M Meatshops will be on-site with their barbecue.

"For the fireworks," suggests Annie, "it's great to be along the river trail, or at access points to the trail. You get a really good view."

In Riverview, Canada Day is the grand finale to their four-day SunFest of fun, entertainment, and activities. Things get underway at noon in Caseley Park with the Codiac Concert Band. Paulette Tingley and Karen Thompson are youth and community co-ordinators for Riverview, and have worked hard to make this year's Canada Day better than ever.

"There's free entertainment, speeches, a barbecue, face-painting, inflatable bounces, cotton candy, and lots of other things," says Paulette. "And of course fireworks. There's something for everyone."

The Dixieland Ramblers follow the Codiac Concert Band to the bandstand at 1:30 p.m., and are themselves to be followed by Shanklin Road. Samantha Robichaud takes the stage at 4 p.m.

If music isn't your thing, you can bid in a silent auction, whose proceeds go to the IWK. One item to be auctioned is a Via Rail pass for a family of four to Halifax. Or you can watch the Boy Scouts build a Cub Car or pose for a caricature by Marc Little, to name just a few of the activities at Caseley Park.

The tri-community fireworks is the culmination of Canada's birthday bash. The Crystal Palace is a fourth financial partner for the fireworks this year. Though the fireworks are launched from Riverview, they're visible from all three communities, giving the public a choice of perspectives from which to watch the show. But get there early, because viewing spots will go early.

"It's hard to say how many people watch the fireworks," says Colette, "but we guesstimate that it's about 50,000 people in the tri-community. We have 10-12,000 people in the daytime for Canada Day, and the crowd starts growing towards the end of the day."

If you want to know more details about how each community is celebrating Canada Day, you can check out their websites. Or, you can just wing it, and, as Colette says, "take a break from the daily grind."