Labatt Blue Canada Day: Then and Now
Canada's best showcased at Harbourfront Centre

TORONTO, May 26, 2004- Harbourfront Centre celebrates Labatt Blue Canada Day: Then and Now on Thursday, July 1, 2004 with a full day filled with Canadian music, theatre, trivia games, arts, crafts and film. From 1 p.m. until 1 a.m. families and friends are invited to visit Harbourfront Centre and explore the diverse roots of our Canadian identity through past traditions and present customs in addition to celebrating Canada’s 137th birthday. All events are free for the public and suitable for all ages.

MUSIC Highlights:

Labatt Blue Canada Day: Then and Now at Harbourfront Centre features an exquisite line-up of talent at 8 p.m. on the CIBC Stage with 2004 Juno Award winner for Reggae recording of the year Leroy Brown. Fiercely-loyal Canadian Rock recording icons, The Rheostatics’ contagious 9 p.m. set will inspire the crowd to celebrate not only Canada’s birthday but also the group’s 25th anniversary of creating good music with their signature humour and intellect.

Musical programming during the day includes traditional up-tempo Canadian bush swingers Flapjack on the CIBC Stage followed by the more contemporary, Caribbean-flavoured vocal vibes of Ammoye. On the Toronto Star Stage, tap your feet to some old-time Country stringband music courtesy of The Backstabbers and make sure not to miss award-winning Aboriginal performer Tamara Podemski.

Late Night Now in the Brigantine room closes out the birthday celebrations with Kitchener alt-country singer-songwriter Shannon Lyon in his debut Harbourfront Centre appearance mixed in with Country honky-tonk DJ sets courtesy of DJ Country Stranger.

FAMILY Event Highlights:   Daytime Program

All afternoon, families will enjoy the Canada Kids tent where children can paint the town red and white while creating their own unique Canada Day hats and Dancing Moose puppets. Shadowland Theatre brings along their own trunk of puppets to the Marilyn Brewer Community Space to present Royal, Grief Maple Leaf, a children’s play about the creation of the Canadian flag. The Studio Theatre features a children’s showcase of Canadian animated film courtesy of the Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival which explores the Canadian environment and various cultural experiences. Maya Theatre presents a hilarious play reading of a new theatrical piece that explores the ‘new Canadian’ experience called Throw Ma from the Plane!

FAMILY Event Highlights :  Evening Program

Early evening activities include the return of The Great Canada Day Trivia Challenge. Visitors will be challenged to see if they know more about their country than just the stereotypes. Planet in Focus presents two documentary films: Earth to Mouth and Temagami- A Journey Through Rites of Passage in the Studio Theatre.

CULTURAL COLLISIONS Highlights:

Visitors interested in exploring the theme of cultural collisions on Canada Day are encouraged to enjoy Maya Theatre’s world premiere play reading about the new Canadian experience called Throw Ma from the Plane at its Harbourfront Centre premiere. Planet in Focus’ evening showcase documentary Earth to Mouth will delight audiences as it follows the story of a Chinese immigrant’s adaptation to life in rural Canada.

Visitors can also enjoy shopping at the International Marketplace. The World Café and Lakeside Eats will be serving up some delicious food throughout the afternoon and evening.

All events take place at Harbourfront Centre, 235 Queens Quay West, Toronto, Canada. For further information the public can call 416- 973-4000 or visit www.harbourfrontcentre.com
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LINE-UP OF EVENTS & PERFORMANCES:  Labatt Blue Canada Day: Then & Now
Thursday July 1, 2004   [** = festival highlight   * = cultural collisions highlight]

1 p.m.-5 p.m.                Arts and Crafts Canadian-style                                 Canada Kids Tent
1 p.m.                            The Backstabbers                                                    Toronto Star Stage
2 p.m.                            Flapjack                                                                       CIBC Stage     
2 p.m.                            Shadowland Theatre: Royal,Grief Maple Leaf     Brigantine Room
3 p.m.                            Tamara Podemski                                                     Toronto Star Stage
3 p.m.                            Maya Theatre: Throw Ma from The Plane *            Lakeside Terrace
3 p.m.                            Planet In Focus: Family animation film series        The Studio Theatre
4 p.m.                            Ammoye                                                                       CIBC Stage
4 p.m.                            Shadowland Theatre: Royal,Grief Maple Leaf      Brigantine Room
5 p.m.                            The Backstabbers                                                     Toronto Star Stage
5:30 p.m.                       The Great Canada Day Trivia Challenge             Lakeside Terrace
6 p.m.                            Shadowland Theatre: Royal,Grief Maple Leaf      Marilyn Brewer Space
6 p.m.                            Planet In Focus: Documentary film series *            The Studio Theatre
6:30 p.m.                      Tamara Podemski                                                      Toronto Star Stage
8 p.m.                            Leroy Brown **                                                           CIBC Stage
10 p.m.                          The Rheostatics **                                                     CIBC Stage
11 p.m.                          Late Night Now presented by Blue Light                   Brigantine Room
                                       featuring Shannon Lyon and DJ Country Stranger   

Media Contacts:
Shane Gerard, 416-973-4655, sgerard@harbourfrontcentre.com
Rebecca Webster, 416-973-4397, rwebster@harbourfrontcentre.com
Bill Bobek, 416-973-4428, wbobek@harbourfrontcentre.com