Red and white industrial rope light strands will grace the Canadian arch portion of the bridge, while red, white, and blue strands will grace the U.S. double-arch portion of the bridge. These strands will be lit in a community celebration at dusk on Thursday, June 28 at 10:30 p.m.

The primary celebration site will be at the Roberta Bondar Pavilion in Sault, Ontario, with a secondary celebration site at the Sault Locks viewing area in Sault, Mich. The public announcements, dignitary comments, and festivities leading up to and including the sequenced lighting of the rope light strands by the eight Sault Ste. Marie Bridge Authority board members will be broadcast live from the pavilion on radio station WSOO at about 9:45 p.m. There will be a bi-national fireworks display clearly visible from both Saults following the lighting ceremony.