June 29, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

CANADIANS ABROAD, CANADIANS IN ORANGE COUNTY AND CANADIANS IN SAN DIEGO ANNOUNCE A STAR STUDDED CELEBRITY LINE UP FOR THE OFFICIAL CANADA DAY AT YOUR HOUSE: A VIRTUAL CELEBRATION IN SOCAL

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – With the support of the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles, L.A. based Canadians Abroad, Canadians in Orange County and Canadians in San Diego are uniting to host the official Canada Day for Southern California on Wednesday, July 1, 2020, at 6:00 pm PST. Given the current circumstances and government rules and restrictions surrounding COVID-19, the organizations have decided to make this a free and virtual event. It will be streamed live-to-air for everyone to enjoy from the comfort and safety of their own homes. Canadians of all ages living in Southern California and beyond are invited to join. With over 11,000 loyal followers between all organizations, it is anticipated it will be one of the largest Canada Day virtual events outside of Canada. The event will be streamed at canadianexpats.com/canada-day-at-your-house-2020 and use #CanadaDayUSA and #SoCalCanadaDay.

This year serves as yet again another fantastic opportunity for the Canadian community to come together to celebrate their shared heritage. The group is very pleased to announce the following high-profile talent who will be participating show including Canadian actors Ryan Reynolds, William Shatner, Nia Vardalos, Dan Aykroyd, Jason Priestley, Laura Vandervoort, Erin Karpluk, Katie Boland, Stefan Brogren, Michelle Shaughnessy and professional athletes Sarah Nurse and Renata Fast as well as members of the LA Kings and Anaheim Ducks.

The National anthem will be performed by two-time Juno nominated Ndidi O. There will also be musical performances from Juno and Grammy award winning Rufus Wainwright, Billboard’s Top 100 singer/songwriter Tara Macri, Canada’s Hot 100 list artist Andrew Cole and dynamic duo Francois Louise Ross.  Canadian comedians Renee Percy and Debra DiGiovanni will also be performing stand-up comedy.

The program will highlight Canadians on the frontlines of COVID-19 in Southern California from Zaib Shaikh, Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles. It will also have a message from the Royal Canadian Legion and contain a broad range of provincial, gender and ethnic representation highlighting the group’s commitment to inclusion and diversity. 

“We have all had to find new ways to come together while staying apart this year, so in that spirit, it’s great to see the Canadian communities of Southern California come together like never before to show pride in our country and our inclusive values. I’m especially looking forward to highlighting local Canadians’ contributions to the COVID response and celebrating our unity in what has been a challenging year for all”, said Zaib Shaikh, Consul General of Canada in Los Angeles.

“We are thrilled to be partnering together with other Canadian organizations in Southern California as we represent a very strong, active and deeply-rooted Canadian expat community. We hope Canada Day 2020 will continue to unite us all and bring everyone an uplifting, positive and fun program to help raise spirits during these difficult times”, said Co-President of Canadians Abroad Erin Buckley Burnett.

“The Canadian community in Southern California has always held firm to our roots and our commonalities. From poutine to Canadian Heritage commercials to all the many things that define our uniquely Canadian identity, we hope that this program will be a reminder that though we cannot be together, there is very little that separates us”, said Co-President of Canadians Abroad Zoe Kevork.   

 “Human nature drives us to come together with others that we share common bonds with, and as Canada Day approaches, every year we see an outpouring of interest to come together and celebrate our shared Canadian heritage. While we intend to meet that interest, it’s going to be a little different than we are used to. This year, we hope you’ll join us virtually, and that you enjoy the program we are actively developing for you today. We hope we’ll be back to normal soon, meeting face-to-face, but we are excited to be teaming up with our friends at Canadians Abroad in L.A., and Canadians in San Diego” said President of Canadians in Orange County, Robert Kelle.

The groups would like to thank Air Canada who will be awarding one lucky winner with two roundtrip flights and Dan Aykroyd’s Crystal Head Vodka with 750mL bottles of Aurora or Pride limited editions. Canadians Abroad, Canadians in Orange County and Canadians in San Diego are greatly appreciative of the strong continued partnership and support from the Consulate General of Canada in Los Angeles and the collaborative efforts of their volunteer boards who created and produced the event.

 About Canadians Abroad:

Canadians Abroad is a non-profit social, cultural and professional advocacy organization governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. Established in 1998, it has grown to be one of the largest Canadian expat associations in the world with over 7,000 loyal subscribers. Their mandate is to actively promote Canadian cultural identity in the United States through events and opportunities.

 Canadians Abroad continues to be an important agent for promoting and disseminating information to support Canadians living abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes pertinent news on border restrictions, health and safety measures, messages, and Q&A sessions with the Canadian Consulate in Los Angeles. Canadians Abroad has also profiled passionate Canadians working on the frontlines in California through their Canadian of the Month initiative. For more information, please visit www.canadiansabroad.com, follow them @CanadiansAbroad on Twitter, @canadians_abroad_socal on Instagram, and Facebook.

 About Canadians in Orange County:

Canadians in Orange County is a non-profit social group founded in 2009 to help Canadians living in Orange County celebrate their shared heritage. The organization is run by volunteers who bring their passion for celebrating their home and native land right here where they chose to make their new home here in Southern California. We are supported by critical sponsors who benefit from access to our wonderful community of over 3,000 subscribers and several have become great resources for common challenges facing those of us living cross-border lives, including immigration, tax, real estate, and wealth management.

Since their founding, Canadians in Orange County has actively produced events that include happy hours, Canada Day, Canadian Thanksgiving, hockey games, baseball games, concerts, and theatre. Through this COVID-19 pandemic, they have been hosting weekly virtual Canadian happy hours to stay connected with their community and share timely information. For more information, please visit www.canadiansinoc.com, follow them @CanadiansInOC on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

About Canadians in San Diego:

Canadians in San Diego was established in 2013 and is a non-profit social group, approaching 1,000 members. The aim of the group is to help bring Canadians together along with promoting Canadian business interests in the area. Canadians in San Diego has held a multitude of events which include:  happy hours, Canada Day, Canadian Thanksgiving, Grey Cup parties, SD Gulls hockey games, public skating, learn to curl just to name a few.  Please follow on Twitter:  @CanadiansinSD Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandiegocanada/

For Media Inquiries:

Erin Buckley Burnett

Co-President

Canadians Abroad

erinbuckleyburnett@gmail.com