Glacier and Mt. Revelstoke National Parks will be free to visit as Canada celebrates Parks Day on Saturday, July 16.
Glacier National Park will be celebrating its 125th anniversary that day with festivities at Rogers Pass and in Stanley Park in Vancouver.
At Rogers Pass, Friends of Mt. Revelstoke and Glacier will be hosting a barbecue from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There will also be activities and other programs going on.
Parks will also be launching its new kids activity book Xplorer, which is designed to help kids discover the parks. The program is aimed at children aged 6-11. All kids entering the two parks will be offered an activity booklet and once they complete three activities they become an official "Parks Canada Xplorer" and receive a souvenir and certificate for their efforts.
The day will also see the launch of a new exhibit at Roger Pass – "Breeches of Miss Conduct." The exhibit features a pair of large, copper pants designed by Rob Buchanan and Rob Maraun. The pants are modelled on the ones pioneering female mountaineer Georgia Engelhard wore on her expeditions. People can pose "wearing the pants" and have their photos taken with Mount Tupper as the backdrop. The exhibit will be introduced with a special interpretative theatre presentation.
In Stanley Park, Glacier National Park staff will present the film "The Burning Question," which looks at the fire management program in Glacier National Park. As well, Simon Hunt will be on hand to show how Parks manages fire for forest health. As well, the short film "Climbing Mount Tupper" will be available for the public to watch.