Local aboriginal groups plan on having full host of events to mark Aboriginal Day in the Nicola Valley.

Upper Nicola Band will be getting a head start on the Aboriginal Day celebrations, as the band has a trio of events planned for June 20.

The main attraction will be the grand opening of the arbor, which commemorates survivors of the Indian residential school program. The goal of the new green space is to provide a place for Upper Nicola members to connect with their ancestral land, and learn cultural practices.

Meanwhile, the band will also be recognizing a new agreement signed between the band and the First Nations Health Authority (FNHA). The memorandum of understanding between the two groups will help to bring better health care services to the band, and members of the FNHA will be on hand to mark the occasion.

The day will also be used to celebrate the addition of new lands into the reserve, as the band recently executed a land swap agreement with the provincial government. In exchange for the lands required for the Douglas Lake Road right-of-way, the band received a 40 acre parcel of land which will be added to the Douglas Lake Indian Reserve #3.

And throughout the day, the celebration will feature hand drumming, and traditional games like spear throw, rock throw, hoop jumping and archery.

The events are slated to get underway at 10 a.m.

Meanwhile, the Conayt Friendship Society will be hosting their Aboriginal Day celebration in Rotary Park in Merritt on June 21.

The event promises to bring together elders, families, and individuals, with events catering to all ages.

A father-son lookalike contest will be hosted throughout the day, along with an archery demonstration by the Nicola Valley Archers.

A designated elders’ rest area with a tipi will be provided, while the younger crowd takes part in the watermelon eating contest.

Things will get underway at 10 a.m., and go until 4 p.m.