...and we'll celebrate if we want to!
Since we're the host city for the 97th Grey Cup championship, and since our team lost its opportunity to play in the game, here's the deal: Calgarians still love a chance to celebrate, no matter what the circumstances. So let's put on our game faces anyway and just paint the town (Stampeders) red, regardless! Lots of Calgarians are of course still planning to attend the game - they've likely just had to drastically modify their team of choice. Many others have taken advantage of the situation by putting their Grey Cup championship tickets on the market for upwards of a thousand dollars.
It's not just about the game, though, people! The City of Calgary has so many great events planned - you'd be hard pressed to NOT have a good time in the centre city this week and weekend even when your favourite team isn't playing.
(photo of Stephen Avenue Grey Cup party set up before the festivities get underway)
Here are some of the highlights of what's on the agenda (full agenda including start and run times here) starting Friday November 27th - and there's a lot of free stuff - perfect for the whole family.
1. (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) Calgary Herald Olympic Plaza Family Fan Fest. This means - pancake breakfasts in November, people! There will also be plenty of exhibits, family-friendly entertainment and music from Em, Souls of Freedom, the Heebee Jeebees, The Dino Martinis, Lindsay Elle and more (check link above for exact dates of band performances).
2. (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) Scotiabank CFL Experience at the Telus Convention Centre. Here's your chance to shake hands with CFL alumni and all-stars. And you might even want to try some of the interactive camp drills and games they'll have set up.
3. (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) Enmax Street Festival and Stage (Stephen Avenue) - This is being called "The Midway" of the CFL. It's where you'll find all kinds of CFL-related displays, activities, vendors and performances from The Cripple Creek Fairies, The Lions, The Dudes, Mad Cowboys, Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, Fuzzcat and again - much more (check link above for exact dates for band performances)!
4. (Friday and Saturday evening) Enmax Illuminate Calgary (Stephen Avenue) - putting on an amazing light show - a must-see for all ages. If you happen to take in any of this event, you have to let us know what you thought of the contemporary light installations. Click here for a preview.
5. (Saturday 11 a.m.) Safeway Grey Cup parade - route starts at 6th avenue and MacLeod Trail SE and Calgary's own t-v star from "24", Elisha Cuthbert, is the grand marshall.
6. (Saturday) CFL/NHL alumni ball hockey and skills tourney.
*7. (Sunday) Grey Cup family viewing party - at the Saddledome (*must pre-purchase tickets at Safeway or SportChek for 10 dollars). So if you've sold your real tickets to the game - and you're still just kind of a little bit itching to see how those other teams do, you can watch it at the Saddledome on the big - really big - screen.
And lastly, to speak about the so far unspoken...we're taking a straw poll of sorts - who will you be pulling for if you do plan on watching the game? The Saskatchewan Roughriders or the Montreal Alouettes? We won't tell anyone, we promise!
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