Warriors' Day Parade
| Warriors' Day Parade | |
|---|---|
 Commemorative plaque describing the Warriors' Day Parade | |
| Genre | Military |
| Location(s) | Toronto, Ontario |
| Years active | 1921–present |
| Founded | 1921 |
| Attendance | 3,000 (2019)[1] |
| Patron(s) | Warriors' Day Council |
The Warriors' Day Parade is an annual military parade in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is open to Canadian war veterans, military personnel, first responders and para military marching contingents and bands.[2] The name was coined by Governor General of Canada Julian Byng, was established in 1921, and is organised by the Warriors' Day Parade Council.[3] The parade is held on the third Saturday of August which is the second day of the Canadian National Exhibition. The parade honours the service of Canadian men and women in the armed forces.
The parade route begins at the Princes' Gates, travels along Princes' Boulevard and ends at the Stanley Barracks. Veterans are organized by their units, wars and demonstrations. Veterans are welcomed from Canada and the United States. The Warriors' Day Parade Council awards organizations that participate.[4] The parade is often planned to commemorate specific events such as notable battles.
Following the world wars, participants in the parade included up to 30,000 military veterans. In 2019, the number of veterans participating was estimated at just below 3,000.[1] A number of privately owned military vehicles and classic cars also take part in the parade, representing various military vehicle preservation associations.[5]
In conjunction with the parade, the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) waives transit fares for the day for Canadian Armed Forces personnel, veterans and companions.[6] The TTC Honour Guard also participates in the parade.[6] Similarly, GO Transit also offers free travel for the day of the parade to veterans and current personnel.[7]
History
[edit]The Exhibition grounds were originally part of the Military Reserve and the relationship between the exhibition was established early. The CNE had been hosting military parades and demonstrations beginning in 1879 to honour military veterans.[8] One notable veterans' day took place at the CNE on August 27, 1919. Veterans of the Great War were given free rein of the grounds until the afternoon, when they attended a baseball game on the Toronto Island. In the evening, the veterans returned to the fair grounds to be reviewed by Edward, Prince of Wales who was visiting Toronto and be entertained by a special show at the Grandstand.[9] It was estimated that 115,000 persons attended the CNE that day, including 30,000 veterans, some of the battleship HMS Renown.[9]
The Warriors' Day parade council was formed in Toronto in 1921, extending the work of the CNE. The council desired a specific day to pay tribute to living veterans of the First World War. Council declared "Warriors' Day" and in the early years, it was the first day of the Exhibition.[10]
The first Warriors' Day parade was held on August 27, 1921. The parade started at Trinity Bellwoods Park, (then the site of Trinity College) and followed Queen Street and Dufferin Street south to the Exhibition grounds.[11] Governor General Lord Byng, the former Commander of the Canadian Corps at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, took the salute of the veterans in the afternoon. To those present whom he had commanded at Vimy Ridge: "Byng Boys, I wish you luck. I do not say that because it is the ordinary thing to say to you. I say it to you from the bottom of my heart. I wish you luck in your pleasures, in your work, in your homes, whatever you are doing and wherever you are. Byng Boys, I wish you luck."[12] In the evening, festivities were held at the Grandstand for the veterans, including a massed band concert, dancing, gun displays and boxing.[11] The participants included the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Forces nurses, veterans of 1866, past wars and World War I.[11]
In 1927, the Warriors' Day Parade coincided with the dedication of the Princes' Gates, attended by HRH Edward, Prince of Wales and his brother Prince George. The archway was built to commemorate 50 years of Canadian Confederation. The parade followed the Royal party along Lake Shore Boulevard through the new arch. The parade was then reviewed by the Princes.[13]
In 1938, the parade attracted 20,000–30,000 Forces personnel and veterans from units in Ontario, Australia and Newfoundland. The eldest present were veterans from the Fenian Raids of 1866 and Australian veterans from the Boer Wars.[14] The Grandstand was used as the reviewing stand for the large contingent.
In 2015, the parade commemorated veterans of World War II.[15] In 2017, the parade commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge and the 75th anniversary of the Dieppe Raid.[16][17]
The 2020 and 2021 editions of the parade were cancelled due to COVID-19.[18][19]
The 2024 edition commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force and the 80th anniversary of D-Day.[6]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Wallace, Aidan (August 17, 2019). "OUR WARRIORS: Celebrating the 98th Warriors Day Parade". Toronto Sun. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
- ^ "The Warriors' Day Parade". www.veterans.gc.ca. Veteran Affairs Canada. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
- ^ "The Warriors' Day Parade - About Us". thewarriorsdayparade.ca. Warriors' Day Parade Council.
- ^ "Trophy Winners for the 102nd Warriors' Day Parade 2023" (PDF) (pdf). Retrieved August 16, 2024.
- ^ "Milton MVPA 2018 Attendance at Warriors' Day Parade". www.lonestar-mvpa.org. Lonestar Military Vehicle Preservation Association.
- ^ a b c "TTC offers free rides on Warriors' Day for military personnel and veterans". ttc.ca (Press release). Toronto Transit Commission. August 13, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ "GO to the CNE". gotransit.com (Press release). GO Transit. June 20, 2024. Retrieved August 29, 2024.
- ^ "The Warriors' Day Parade - History Guide". www.thewarriorsdayparade.ca. Warriors' Day Parade Council.
- ^ a b "115,000 People Day's Figure at Ex; Tremendous Crush To See Prince". The Globe. August 28, 1919. pp. 1, 4.
- ^ Vance, Jonathan F. (2018). "Remembering Armageddon". In MacKenzie, David (ed.). Canada and the First World War: Essays in Honour of Robert Craig Brown. University of Toronto Press. p. 415. ISBN 978-1-4875-1968-1. OCLC 1139916464.
- ^ a b c "CITY IS ALL DECKED IN ITS FINEST ARRAY FOR OPENING OF "EX": LAST-HOUR BUSTLE OF GETTING READY". The Globe. August 27, 1921. p. 26.
- ^ "Byng Boys, I Wish You Luck, Is Leader's Greeting To Men". The Globe. August 29, 1921. p. 6.
- ^ "Our History". Warriors' Day Parade Council. Retrieved August 16, 2024 – via www.thewarriorsdayparade.ca.
- ^ "Warrior's Day Parade Establishes New Record for Exhibition". The Globe and Mail. August 29, 1938. p. 8.
- ^ Balca, Dario (August 22, 2015). "CNE Warriors' Day Parade recognizes 70th anniversary of Second World War". CTV News. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
- ^ Deonarain, Derick. "CNE Warriors' Day Parade recognizes 75th anniversary of Dieppe Raid". CBC. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
- ^ "All major summer events, including CNE, Caribbean Carnival, cancelled again this year, city says". May 14, 2021.
- ^ Brown, Desmond. "This WW II vet missed his first Warriors Day Parade in 61 years due to COVID-19. Here's what the OMVA did". CBC. Retrieved September 5, 2020.
- ^ Cornwell, Steve (August 18, 2020). "Warriors' Day parade cancelled, but vets can still ride Mississauga transit for free Aug. 22". Mississauga. Retrieved September 5, 2020.