The first Saturday in June is Pitt Meadows Day and the community will come out and celebrate from the start of the parade in the late morning until well into the evening when there are fire works. This community day started out as a small, grass routes event at the height of the dirty thirties and has evolved into a major celebration that people travel from far and wide to attend.<\/p>\r\n
<\/p>\r\n
Here is a little history and trivia about this cherished event:<\/p>\r\n
<\/p>\r\n
-Prior to 1937 there was no spring celebration in Pitt Meadows. The community participated in the Maple Ridge and Port Coquitlam May Days.<\/p>\r\n
-The first Pitt Meadows Day, in 1937, was actually celebrated as May Day and Isabel Sharpe was May Queen.<\/p>\r\n
-The following year Pitt Meadows Day was born as the “Pitt Meadows First Annual Sports Day and Strawberry Carnival”. Anne Anderson was Queen and the date was June 17th. -For many of the early years the members of the Royal Party met in the lower level of the Hall and were given a feast of strawberries and ice cream.<\/p>\r\n
-For a few years the celebration was held on May 24th no matter what day of the week this fell on – this was the case in 1944 when the 24th was a Wednesday and 1953 when it was a Sunday. -In 1945 the event became known as “Miss Pitt Meadows Day”.<\/p>\r\n
-By 1963 the event was being held on the first Saturday in June and continues to be held this on this day.<\/p>\r\n
-There were years, particularly in the late 1940’s, when no event was held. This was the case in 1948 when spring flooding occupied every minute of time for members of the community. There is no explanation for why no festivities were held in 1949, 1950 and 1951. The event was also cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19<\/p>\r\n
-The event was “re activated” in 1952 when the newly formed Pitt Meadows Lions Club began organizing it. Marlene Wickson was Queen. -In 1964, in honor of the Pitt Meadows’ fiftieth anniversary the name was changed to “Pitt Meadows Golden Anniversary” celebrations.<\/p>\r\n
-By 1968 the event name was shortened to “Pitt Meadows Day”.<\/p>\r\n
-Before 1958 the Royal Party gathered for the official ceremonies on a make shift stage put together for each years event. In 1958, British Columbia’s centennial year, a permanent stage was built and was only done away with in the mid 2005c.<\/p>\r\n
-A prominent part of early Pitt Meadows Day celebrations was the “School Program” which varied from year to year but consistently included the Maypole and other dances as well as tumbling and other physical education displays and choir. The “school program” no longer appears in the official program after 1971.<\/p>\r\n
-The first mention of fireworks at a Pitt Meadows Day celebration is in 1966. A salmon bar-b-que is also mentioned this year.<\/p>\r\n
-The Maypole, a tradition of early Pitt Meadows Day celebrations, seems to have died out in the late 1980’s. Reference to it can be found in programs up through 1986, but not in 1987. In her 1967 book “Through a Century of Progress, the Historical Story of Pitt Meadows” Edith McDermott wrote, in part, of Pitt Meadows Day: “Miss Pitt Meadows Day, usually held the first Saturday in June, is a striking example of what can be done when the members of a community work together for the good of all…” . Once you have experienced Pitt Meadows Day, you will know exactly what she meant.<\/p>","SEO_LINK":"if-this-is-the-first-saturday-in-june-it-must-be-pitt-meadows-day","VIDEO_LINK":"","SOUNDCLOUD_LINK":"","IMG1":"1661711746_main_if-this-is-the-first-saturday-in-june-it-must-be-pitt-meadows-day_1.jpg","IMG2":"","IMG3":"","IMG4":"","IMG5":"","IMG6":"","IMG7":"","IMG1_THUMB":"1661711746_thumb_if-this-is-the-first-saturday-in-june-it-must-be-pitt-meadows-day_1.jpg","IMG2_THUMB":"","IMG3_THUMB":"","IMG4_THUMB":"","IMG5_THUMB":"","IMG6_THUMB":"","IMG7_THUMB":""}X
If This is the First Saturday in June It Must Be Pitt Meadows Day
The first Saturday in June is Pitt Meadows Day and the community will come out and celebrate from the start of the parade in the late morning until well into the evening when there are fire works. This community day started out as a small, grass routes event at the height of the dirty thirties and has evolved into a major celebration that people travel from far and wide to attend.
Here is a little history and trivia about this cherished event:
-Prior to 1937 there was no spring celebration in Pitt Meadows. The community participated in the Maple Ridge and Port Coquitlam May Days.
-The first Pitt Meadows Day, in 1937, was actually celebrated as May Day and Isabel Sharpe was May Queen.
-The following year Pitt Meadows Day was born as the “Pitt Meadows First Annual Sports Day and Strawberry Carnival”. Anne Anderson was Queen and the date was June 17th. -For many of the early years the members of the Royal Party met in the lower level of the Hall and were given a feast of strawberries and ice cream.
-For a few years the celebration was held on May 24th no matter what day of the week this fell on – this was the case in 1944 when the 24th was a Wednesday and 1953 when it was a Sunday. -In 1945 the event became known as “Miss Pitt Meadows Day”.
-By 1963 the event was being held on the first Saturday in June and continues to be held this on this day.
-There were years, particularly in the late 1940’s, when no event was held. This was the case in 1948 when spring flooding occupied every minute of time for members of the community. There is no explanation for why no festivities were held in 1949, 1950 and 1951. The event was also cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19
-The event was “re activated” in 1952 when the newly formed Pitt Meadows Lions Club began organizing it. Marlene Wickson was Queen. -In 1964, in honor of the Pitt Meadows’ fiftieth anniversary the name was changed to “Pitt Meadows Golden Anniversary” celebrations.
-By 1968 the event name was shortened to “Pitt Meadows Day”.
-Before 1958 the Royal Party gathered for the official ceremonies on a make shift stage put together for each years event. In 1958, British Columbia’s centennial year, a permanent stage was built and was only done away with in the mid 2005c.
-A prominent part of early Pitt Meadows Day celebrations was the “School Program” which varied from year to year but consistently included the Maypole and other dances as well as tumbling and other physical education displays and choir. The “school program” no longer appears in the official program after 1971.
-The first mention of fireworks at a Pitt Meadows Day celebration is in 1966. A salmon bar-b-que is also mentioned this year.
-The Maypole, a tradition of early Pitt Meadows Day celebrations, seems to have died out in the late 1980’s. Reference to it can be found in programs up through 1986, but not in 1987. In her 1967 book “Through a Century of Progress, the Historical Story of Pitt Meadows” Edith McDermott wrote, in part, of Pitt Meadows Day: “Miss Pitt Meadows Day, usually held the first Saturday in June, is a striking example of what can be done when the members of a community work together for the good of all…” . Once you have experienced Pitt Meadows Day, you will know exactly what she meant.
Details:
Latitude: 49.2294431094968
Longitude: -122.68771725384
Direct Link: https://www.pittmeadowsmuseum.com/locations/if-this-is-the-first-saturday-in-june-it-must-be-pitt-meadows-day
