Remembrance Day

Each year on November 11th, the Town of Sidney comes together to honour and pay tribute to our Veterans. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Remembrance Day 2020 will look a bit different. Please note: there will be no Parade of Veterans or public ceremony at the Cenotaph this year.

Event organizers have come together to provide creative and meaningful opportunities for community members to pay their respects, honour sacrifices, and share memories during Remembrance Day 2020.

Sidney Remembrance Day 2020 Information

Virtual Remembrance Day Ceremony
November 11, 2020, at 10:30 am

You are invited to watch Sidney’s virtual Remembrance Day Ceremony on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, starting at 10:30 am. The live-streamed ceremony will closely follow the traditional format.

The live-stream will be broadcast on the Mary Winspear Centre’s Facebook page.

Fly-Past
November 11, 2020, at approximately 11:00 am

The traditional fly-pasts over Sidney are expected to take place during the 2-minute silence - you are encouraged to step outside to view them.

Memory Boards
November 5 - November 11, 2020

Two Memory Boards have been installed at the Cenotaph in front of Sidney Town Hall. The Memory Boards provide a space for people to pin their memories, a photo, a message, or any other memento that expresses the importance of Remembrance Day. For example, you could use a poppy to pin a photo of a relative who served, or a message or memory of your own experience. Memory cards will be available for people to write on and pin to the board.

The boards will remain up throughout the week leading up to Remembrance Day and will provide a meaningful opportunity for people to come together at a distance.

Rocks for Remembrance

ArtSea invites you to join in painting Rocks for Remembrance. Collect some palm sized rocks and paint poppies or images that represent Remembrance Day. Place the rocks at the gravesites of Canadian Veterans, local memorials, or in your garden. You can take two minutes of silence when you place your rocks to reflect on the sacrifices made by so many.

This is a great opportunity to share some creative time with members of your family or talk about the reason for Remembrance Day with children. The Royal Canadian Legion has some great learning resources on their website to support your conversation.

Sidney Concert Band's Virtual Remembrance Day Concert

Amid the pandemic of 2020, the Sidney Concert Band has come together (with all social distancing and safety protocols in mind) to present a virtual Remembrance Day Concert for the community. Find more information on Sidney Concert Band's website and find the virtual concert on Youtube.

Sidney Poppy Office

The temporary Poppy Office, where poppies, wreaths, and other Remembrance items are available, is located at 101-2506 Beacon Avenue, Sidney and is open from 10 am to 12 noon and 1 pm to 4 pm (Monday through Saturday) until November 10, 2020. The Poppy Office phone number is: 250-656-7421.

Poppy Project

Local artist Odette Laroche conceptualized a large poppy mural to raise awareness for veterans. With the help of her students, the Poppy Project was completed. The entire composition contains 30 separate paintings by 10 different painters. The project is currently on display at Odette’s art gallery in Sidney. To learn more about The Poppy Project and to view each painting, visit www.odettelarocheart.com/poppy-project.