Announcement

Canada Day in Bronte: What Businesses Need to Know

Thousands (thousands!) of visitors will be coming to Bronte on Monday, July 1 – both to celebrate the holiday during the day, and to watch the evening fireworks. Bronte is home to the official Town of Oakville Canada Day celebration. This year’s Town event offers extended hours for more time to enjoy family-friendly activities, live entertainment, fabulous food vendors, and a spectacular fireworks display. 

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN?

  • From Thursday, June 27 – Monday, July 1 the Town of Oakville will be setting up for the event in Bronte Heritage Waterfront Park. This may limit some pedestrian or seating access.
  • Before 3pm on Canada Day, there will be no street closures scheduled. Regular traffic access and parking restrictions are in effect. Watch for signage. Access to all streets, sidewalks, private parking lots (for customers only) and municipal parking lots are open. All businesses can operate as usual with some exceptions (you’ll be notified directly by the Town).
  • From noon until 11pm the Bronte Legion is hosting (once again!) its traditional Canada Day celebrations on its property. All are welcome! There will be food trucks, kids’ activities, a handmade market, live music and more. The Bronte BIA is a proud sponsor.
  • Just steps away, check out the party at Farm Boy from 11am until 2pm. Families will enjoy free food, games, face-painting and an appearance from LULU the Cow. The store will be open to customers all day long from 8am to 8pm.
  • Businesses at the corner of Lakeshore/Jones (Quartzlux Wellness and Strategic Wealth Management) also have plans to host activities that will delight visitors. If your business is hosting an activation, send us an email (communications@brontevillage.net) and we’ll get it added to our promotions!
  • At 3pm, all roads south of Lakeshore Rd. W. from Bronte Rd. to East St. will be closed to regular traffic except for limited local residential access (proof of residence required) and emergency vehicles. This closure is to accommodate a shuttle bus route dropping off visitors.
  • Starting at 3:45pm, a shuttle bus will run every 10 minutes from the parking lot of the Bronte GO station bringing visitors into the district. The shuttle runs south on Bronte Rd., east on Marine Dr., north on Jones St. (drop off beside the Bronte Legion), west on Lakeshore Rd. W., then north on Bronte Rd. This is the best way for visitors to attend the event.
  • Family friendly Town-organized activities will run in the Park starting at 4pm until 10pm, including kids programming, music and food trucks. There will be a bike corral onsite and lots of porta potties.
  • At 10pm the fireworks run for about 20 minutes (weather permitting).
  • Starting at 10:25pm, the shuttle buses will line up along Marine Dr. and Jones St. to load visitors out of the district. No other vehicles will be able to leave at this time. Vehicle movement in the closed area south of Lakeshore Rd. is for shuttles only until at least 11pm.
  • Early July 2, once all shuttles have left the district and event structures removed etc., remaining road restrictions will be removed.

WHO’S COMING WHEN?

Daytime

It’s a guess as to how busy it will be on Canada Day, but Bronte is a designated tourism destination, so it’s likely there’ll be hundreds of visitors during the day coming to Bronte to wander, sit on a patio, enjoy the daytime celebrations at the Legion/Farm Boy, etc., have a family picnic or to shop at retail businesses that are open. It’s suggested that visitors that come during the day are not the same as those coming for fireworks.

Afternoon/Evening

Thousands of fireworks enthusiasts will begin coming to Bronte in the late afternoon and early evening to secure a spot on the park grass to watch the 10pm fireworks show. These visitors aren’t likely to shop or use a personal service, but will want to eat and drink. Restaurants and cafes are encouraged to be open late.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

As a designated tourist area, Bronte businesses can open on a statutory holiday. This isn’t true for other districts. To create a vibrant and interesting district visitors will want to return to, retailers and restaurants are strongly encouraged to be open.

The more lively, interesting and exciting Bronte is on Canada Day, the more likely visitors will come back another day to shop and eat. This is a unique marketing opportunity for your business. Decide how you can participate.

Passive participation:

Clean and update your store windows and incorporate some red and white or other celebratory colours, keep the lights on, put a sign up with your regular store hours and social channels, post a fun note inviting visitors back.

Medium participation:

Welcome customers for holiday hours such as 12pm-5pm or 12pm-8pm, put some product outside, have a Canada Day sale or offer one-day-only unique items, prop your doors open, use your social channels to promote.

All-in participation:

Go all in and welcome customers all day and into the evening, hire extra staff, decorate your store, have a plan to manage line-ups, ensure you’ve got lots of product on hand and take full advantage of all the eyeballs on your business. It’s suggested that 8pm or 9pm for a retailer might be a good closing time, but be flexible. Any visitors coming later are just coming for fireworks.

ROAD CLOSURE MAP:

Chang

Change this description