The South Alberta Horse Artillery will demonstrate the cannon and rifles used by the Royal Canadian Artillery in 1885.
Canada Day will be celebrated in Fort Macleod with a pancake breakfast, Musical Ride, birthday cake and much more.
The celebration kicks off Tuesday, July 1 at 9 a.m. at the Fort Macleod Curling Club where the Lions Club will be serving a free pancake breakfast.
Donations to the Fort Macleod food bank will be accepted at the Lions breakfast, which continues until 12 noon.
Following breakfast, the scene shifts to The Fort — Museum of the North West Mounted Police.
The South Alberta Horse Artillery will give a demonstration at 10 a.m. of the cannons and rifles used in 1885.
Dressed in replica 1885 Royal Canadian Artillery uniforms the artillery members will fire a cannon and rifles in a demonstration of how they were used in 1885.
The artillery will give subsequent performances at 1 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. in the museum’s courtyard.
The official Canada Day opening ceremonies get under way at 11 a.m. in the museum courtyard, with a number of dignitaries on hand to bring greetings.
Immediately following the opening ceremony, the inspection will take place of the Fort’s Mounted Patrol before it performs its debut Musical Ride of 2025 at 11:30 a.m.
The Musical Ride at the museum began in 1973 on the encouragement of Sgt. Ed Rooke, who had command of the local RCMP detachment.
The Mounted Patrol members dress in period North West Mounted Police uniforms and guide their horses through the same patterns set to music that are followed by the official RCMP Musical Ride.
The Musical Ride will also be performed at 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. in the museum’s outdoor arena.
Following the Musical Ride, visitors will move into the compound at 12 noon for a barbecue.
The Canada Day birthday cake will be served in the museum’s main gallery.
At 12:30 p.m. by the Haultain Law Office, the Fort Museum’s own actors will stage the first performance of the day of the play Face Paint and Pill Box Caps.
A second performance of the play is set for 4 p.m.
The day’s activities conclude at 4:30 p.m. with the third demonstration by the South Alberta Horse Artillery.
