Festivals, parties, concerts: Grey Cup events revealed for Winnipeg
The Grey Cup has only been played in Winnipeg three times before, in 1991, 1998 and 2006
The Grey Cup championship game is more than five months away but the party planning is well underway.
Winnipeg will host the CFL's biggest game on Nov. 29th, 2015, at Investors Group Field, and some of the first details were revealed Tuesday — including the Grey Cup festival logo and slogan, You Belong Here.
The announcement of the Grey Cup Festival — four days of events (Nov. 25-29) leading up to the Grey Cup — took place at the University of Winnipeg's Health and RecPlex, which will be the official site of the festival's MacDon Fan Experience & Family Zone.
More than 10,000 visitors are expected to make their way to the city for the events and the big game. To entertain them, there will be street festivals, tailgate parties, a concert series featuring Dallas Smith, The Sheepdogs and Loverboy, a CFL alumni luncheon, a gala dinner with performances by CBC star Gerry Dee and music icon Randy Bachman, and a post-game party.
"We have worked very hard to create an environment that all Manitobans can take part in, and believe we have a great mix of ticketed and free programming for both fans and families alike," Jason Smith, president of the 103rd Grey Cup Festival, stated in a news release.
Mayor Brian Bowman and Premier Greg Selinger were at the announcement, Selinger said the turnout at the FIFA game shows Manitobans rally behind big events.
"It's going to bring a lot of excitement and economic activity to Winnipeg and were going to be excellent hosts of it. We've done it many times and we've always been very successful at it," Selinger said.
"I'm really excited, City hall is really excited with the influx of visitors from across Canada. It's another opportunity to showcase Winnipeg to the country and the world," Bowman said.
Free Grey Cup Festival events:
- NOVEMBER 25: Arrival of the Cup, University of Winnipeg campus.
- NOVEMBER 26: Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Fan Fest, Club Regent Event Centre.
- NOVEMBER 26-28: Nissan Titan Street Festival, University of Winnipeg campus.
- NOVEMBER 26-28: MacDon Fan Experience & Family Zone, Health & RecPlex at the University of Winnipeg.
- NOVEMBER 28: Cheer Extravaganza, Duckworth Centre at the University of Winnipeg.
- NOVEMBER 28: Grey Cup Festival Santa Claus Parade, Portage Avenue/University of Winnipeg campus.
- NOVEMBER 29: Countdown to Kick Off, The Plaza at Investors Group Field.
Ticketed Grey Cup Festival events:
- NOVEMBER 26: Blue Bomber breakfast, The Metropolitan Entertainment Centre.
- NOVEMBER 26: Shaw CFL Player Awards & CFLPA Official Players' Party, Club Regent Event Centre.
- NOVEMBER 27: Winnipeg Free Press CFL Alumni Legends luncheon, RBC Convention Centre.
- NOVEMBER 27: Touchdown Manitoba presented by TransX, RBC Convention Centre.
- NOVEMBER 27: 103rd Grey Cup Festival Party, The Metropolitan Entertainment Centre.
- NOVEMBER 28: 103rd Grey Cup Festival gala dinner featuring Gerry Dee and Randy Bachman, RBC Convention Centre.
- NOVEMBER 29: Monsanto VIP Indoor Tailgate Party, University of Manitoba Campus.
- NOVEMBER 29: 103rd Grey Cup Festival Post-Game Party, University of Manitoba Campus.
Concerts
- November 26: Dallas Smith with special guest Aaron Pritchett, RBC Convention Centre.
- November 27: The Sheepdogs with special guests, RBC Convention Centre.
- November 28: Loverboy with special guests 54-40 and Queen City Kids, MTS Centre.
The Grey Cup has only been played in Winnipeg three times before, in 1991, 1998 and 2006.
The 2015 game will be an opportunity to showcase Investors Group Field, one of the newest buildings in the CFL, organizers said.