The tender voice of pop singer Sarah McLachlan will entertain hundreds of thousands of people on the lawn of Parliament Hill as Canada celebrates its 142nd birthday.
Performers scheduled to hit the stage at this year's Canada Day concert include country sensation and Juno winner Shane Yellowbird; Montreal singer Gregory Charles and So You Think You Can Dance Canada winner Nico Archambault.
Organizers say they're trying something new this year, with headliners performing at both the noon and evening show.
It's estimated 350,000 people will be on Parliament Hill to take in the performances.
The festivities will highlight the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics and historical milestones including New Brunswick's 225th anniversary and the 60th anniversary since Newfoundland and Labrador joined Confederation.
Those in attendance will get to see the Olympic torch and also meet some of Canada's top Olympic and Paralympic athletes.
Organized activities will take place at three official sites on both sides of the Ottawa River: Parliament Hill and Major's Hill Park in Ottawa and Jacques-Cartier Park in Gatineau.
The NCC is also moving towards a greener Canada Day by taking steps to reduce the event's carbon footprint. By 2013, organizers hope to reduce garbage at the event by 50 per cent.
"This is the first time the NCC will measure the output of one of its events and this is part of an ambitious environmental strategy, which includes reducing waste and combating climate change among a set of key action plans," said National Capital Commission CEO Marie Lemay.
More than 460,000 participants took part in last year's Canada Day festivities, according to a survey. About 40 per cent of those attendees were visitors from outside the capital region.
With a report from CTV Ottawa's Kimothy Walker
