In July of 2020, the Community Waterfront Heritage Centre featured an exhibit called “Celebrating A Century”, honouring Owen Sounds 100th Anniversary of incorporation in 1920. The exhibit featured eight panels that when scanned with a smartphone, open eight different movies. When opened, each video details an important piece of Owen Sound history.

In partnership with the Festival of Northern Lights, which runs this year from November 21 to January 3, these panels will be enlarged and placed along 1st Avenue East and 1st Avenue West with the Festival’s light displays. This will give people an opportunity to go on a self-guided historical walking tour while enjoying the festival lights and maintaining physical distancing.

In addition to the displays along the Festival route, the City is partnering with Rogers TV to air a televised special, celebrating 100 years of incorporation. The special will be capped off with a live fireworks display at Victoria Park. The fireworks will be lit off from Victoria Park as it is a high point in the City and they would be visible from many locations. Staff will create a list of possible viewing locations to discourage people from gathering in one particular location.

To cut down on in-person gathering, the fireworks will be live-streamed on Instagram, Facebook, and broadcast on the local Rogers TV station, as well as on the Rogers TV website

City staff are also working with the Kiwanis Club on their static Santa Claus Parade on November 21, using the parking lot at the Bayshore Community Centre and making City buses available.

- from City Manager's report to Council, November 2, 2020