Sunset Ceremony

Sailors of the Royal Canadian Navy's Atlantic Command carry out a tattoo, retreat, and sunset ceremony on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.

Often simply called the "sunset ceremony", it combines a number of customs and traditions relating to evening duties and events, culminating in the lowering of the national flag, and involves a guard, a band, and saluting guns and their crews. It can be carried out on a large scale, as seen here during part of the celebrations for a Royal visit to Canada, or on a smaller scale as circumstances require.

George Metcalf Archival Collection
CWM 19910001-032