A 15-hour party in Harold Black Park as well as events across town celebrated the country's 141st birthday.

There was plenty to pack into the country's birthday as hundreds of Pelham residents flooded the streets and the park to take in all of the day's action.

The town's 18th annual Canada Day celebration kicked off with a scavenger hunt at 9 a.m. followed by a morning of Timbit soccer games.

Pelham's Rising Stars Junior and Novice competition took place in the early afternoon followed by the grande parade.

There were hundreds of residents lined up along Haist street as they anxiously awaited the Canada Day grande parade to make way to the park.

Police and firefighters led the parade and spent the route spraying water from the fire hose to cool off residents.

Next, residents paraded the streets with their decorated bicycles, wagons, and even ATVs, donning flags, ribbons and red maple leafs.

The Thorold Pipe Band marched to a tune and E.L. Crossley's band finished the parade off.

After the parade, Mayor David Augustyn and city councillors led residents with the singing of O Canada, followed by the town's fourth annual pet show, hosted by the Welland and District Humane Society.

Plenty of dogs, cats, and even rabbits were dressed up for the special occasion. Hungry residents lined up to get a taste of the giant Canada Day cake, provided by Sobeys.

Sobeys has donated the Canada Day cake for six years in a row.

The fun did not stop there as residents had a chance to play ball hockey, take in some entertainment, try their luck ant a game of bingo and watch the finalists in the Rising Stars competition.

Augustyn called the day an overwhelming success.

"People are having lots of fun, we ran out of everything, we ran out of flags", he joked.

The day ended with local rock bands ringing in an evening of fireworks.