Grey Cup

For the second straight year, the province of Alberta will host Canada’s largest annual sporting event. Taking place in the city of Edmonton, the 98th Grey Cup will be played at Commonwealth Stadium, a historic venue that has played host to several major sporting events, including Grey Cups from previous years. Festivities surrounding the event will highlight Edmonton’s passion for football, and the spirit of this northern Alberta city, something fans of all ages won’t want to miss.

This Grey Cup is also important to Edmonton because it coincides with the Eskimos’ 100-year anniversary. Decades of great memories and great football will no doubt be featured throughout the festivities, as fans from all over Canada come to together to celebrate, while the CFL’s best compete for the championship trophy.


Edmonton's Hot to Huddle Grey Cup Festival committee promises to create warm fuzzies in the Alberta capital leading up to the Canadian Football League championship final, set for Sunday, Nov. 28, at Commonwealth Stadium.

Festival executive director Duane Vienneau is hoping as many as 200,000 people cuddle up for the weeklong extravaganza, not counting the fans in the stands.

The day prior to the game should go a long way toward attracting those numbers, said Vienneau, starting with a downtown breakfast, followed by a noon parade.

"Once that parade is over, everyone is going to attack that festival site," Vienneau said of planned downtown festivities incorporating a three-block area surrounding Sir Winston Churchill Square.

"Calgary last year estimated about 100,000. We hope to do every bit as well as they did and better. We're trying to be conservative. We don't want to over-deliver, just provide an opportunity for everyone to come and have a good time." 


Plans for the five-day party include cabarets Nov. 26-27 at the Shaw Conference Centre, a Nov. 26 gala dinner at the Expo Centre at Northlands, an activity centre and the now annual CFL Experience in the square, the parade and, on game day, a tailgate party at the new northeast community recreation centre, currently being constructed on the southwest corner at Commonwealth Stadium.
"Very unique for us is the tailgate party and the whole downtown festival," Vienneau said.

"Those tents over at Sir Winston Churchill Square, we didn't do that in 2002 (the last Grey Cup held in Edmonton)," Vienneau said. "That whole street festival component has grown over the years and we've taken some of those elements from other cities that have hosted Grey Cup and we're trying to do that much more."

The heart of downtown will be featured during the week, including an open sports bar near the square from Nov. 24-28 that will accommodate upwards of 400, along with the CFL Experience that allows fans an opportunity at hands-on skills that incorporate passing, catching and kicking.

"Some Grey Cups, in the past, have not been family driven," Vienneau said. "Both Doug and Rick (co-chairs Doug Goss and Rick LeLacheur), from the very beginning, had said they want to cover Sir Winston Churchill Square and have a family festival. That Epcor activity centre and Scotiabank CFL Experience is all about family programming."

"We want downtown to turn into a Grey Cup festival and promote this sport, the Edmonton Eskimos and the game."

Tickets for the actual game will not be available to the general public until June 1, beginning at a cost of $98 in the north end zone and rising to $250 in the golds. Tickets currently are only available to season-ticket holders, with roughly 33,000 sold to date.

Edmonton has played host to the Grey Cup three previous times, in 1984, 1997 and 2002. The 2009 championship game was held in Calgary and the 2011 game is slated for Vancouver.