Canada Day celebrations are getting off to an early start with the first of two firework displays happening over Dartmouth Crossing Friday, June 29, at 9:45 p.m.

The show will be preceded by a free concert featuring Craig Mercer and The Will Be Gones at the Pondside Amphitheatre, at Dartmouth Crossing.

The second fireworks spectacle will be over Halifax Harbour Sunday night from 10 p.m.

Fireworks are not the only things happening in pairs. There will be two free pancake breakfasts at Alderney Landing and Grand Parade, starting at 8 a.m.

“People love pancakes, don’t they?” Jeff Wall told Maritime Morning with Jordi Morgan Friday morning. He said they hand out 1,500 chits for free pancakes, per event, in 15 minutes.

Most of the events are happening on Sunday. The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo will muster on Spring Garden Road for their parade at 10:30 a.m.

The official opening ceremonies will be at the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site starting at 11 a.m.

“Personally, if I could attend only one event on Canada Day,” said Wall. “Ottawa has Parliament Hill, well this is our Parliament Hill. That’s where everybody should go. You get a good feeling about Canada Day. It’s like we’re a family.”
 
There is a long list of events Sunday afternoon for all ages, on both sides of the harbour.

The Great Canadian Family Fun Fest will feature the sounds of the Booty-Boppin Brass Band in the Public Gardens.

Dartmouth musician Paul Simons will be giving a concert at Sullivan’s Pond.

People are encouraged to bring their over lawn chairs to the Molson Canadian Main Event, at Alderney Landing for a concert featuring Juno nominees, Mother Mother, and PEI’s own Tim Chaisson, Cape Breton favourites The Town Heroes. The event is free. The concert will run until the fireworks begin over the harbour.