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Cabins along Lake O'Hara in Yoho National Park in British Columbia.The Canadian Press

The party kicks into high gear Thursday with a Rogers Centre campout, but it runs all year long with free Parks passes for Grade 8 students and free entry to all national parks July 1 and 16



1. Parks Canada staff from across the country are arriving in Toronto for Saturday's free festivities, including theatrical and musical performances, storytelling, camping demonstrations and a free outdoor concert featuring Malajube, Mudmen, Apostle of Hustle and Sweet Thing (Saturday, 4:30 p.m.).

2. The Blue Jays are hosting an evening campout with Parks Canada in the Rogers Centre after their afternoon game against the Houston Astros. Tickets cost $100 a person, and include the game (seats in the 100 outfield level), an autograph session with the Jays, Saturday-night dinner, a campout on the field, a bedtime movie and Sunday-morning breakfast. For more, go to bluejays.com and click on Blue Jays Promotions. This is a BYOSB (bring your own sleeping bag) event.

3. Free entry to national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas across Canada on both Canada Day (July 1) and on Parks Day (July 16).

4. Free Parks Pass to all Grade 8 students (distributed through schools) that gives students free entry to all parks sites, and is accompanied by discounts for their families. (For more, go to myparkspass.ca/parks-canada.)

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