Those looking to celebrate Canada's 158th birthday didn't have far to go, with a full day of activities planned in Stettler.
Things got going early, with a Town of Stettler-sponsored Canada Day breakfast at the Stettler Community Hall.
Running from 7-9:30 a.m., town volunteers, including a few town councillors, served up breakfast to over 780 community members.
Once breakfast was done, it was time to find a spot along the parade route.
The parade, which normally ran with the now-defunct Steel Wheel Stampede, was moved to Canada Day for 2025. It marshalled at the spray park, headed north, then east on 50 Avenue, passing in front of Wm. E Hay Secondary, before turning south on Main Street.
Featuring many floats, the parade lasted well over half an hour.
Following the parade, the Stettler Town and Country Museum opened its doors for a day of bounce houses, barbecues, and free admission.
Other activities at the grounds included mini-golf, a hay-press demonstration, face-painting, hay rides, balloon animals, and more.
Stettler and District Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) ran a free barbecue.
When approached for comment around 1 p.m., museum manager Karen Wahlund stated, "We're going to break records," as by that time, nearly 1,400 people had been through the gates. The final tally for the day ended up being just over 1,850 people.
While the gates at the museum opened at 10 a.m., activities didn't officially kick off until around 11 a.m and ran until 4 p.m.
Beginning around 6 p.m., the Stettler Library SOARING project opened the ice cream shack for the season at West Stettler Park, and at 7 p.m. the Town of Stettler began serving up cupcakes at the West Stettler Park gazebo in celebration of Canada's birthday.
Conservative Party of Canada Leader Pierre Poilievre was on the campaign trail and made a stop at the West Stettler Park celebrations around 7:15 to meet with media, town officials and supporters.
Accompanying Poilievre was former Member of Parliament for Battle River-Crowfoot Damian Kurek, who resigned his seat in June, allowing Poilievre to run in a byelection scheduled for mid-August.
"It seems to me that this might be the most patriotic town in the entire country," said Poilievre, commenting on the numbers at the museum. "I love the spirit of entrepreneurship, hard work, and enterprise that characterizes the people here. This region is really the place that feeds, powers and protects Canada ... It would be an incredible honour for me to serve all of you and fight for the people who feed, power and protect this country."
Poilievre noted that the region feeds Canada through its abundant farming and ranching, powers Canada through its oil and gas industry, and defends it through the garrison at Canadian Forces Base Wainwright.
Beginning in Drumheller and Donalda earlier in the day, Poilievre remained at the Stettler celebration for around 45 minutes before carrying on to another engagement.
Beginning at 8 p.m., the Al Barret Band took the stage in the West Stettler Park Gazebo, performing in front of an audience of around 200 people.
Around 11 p.m., thanks to favourable weather, the town put on a well-received fireworks display.
