VANCOUVER – The 2014 Grey Cup Festival kicked off with the annual Stampeders Pancake Breakfast. A team of about 70 volunteers set up outside Canada Place, serving up free pancakes and sausages for CFL fans of all stripes.
According to Calgary City Councillor Jim Stevenson, this year’s breakfast, which the Calgary Grey Cup Committee has hosted since 1948, has extra meaning since the Stampeders will be playing in the big game against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.
“The Stamps are like the spirit of the city,” says Stevenson. “It’s not just the games, but all the things that the Stampeders gets involved in, all the charity work. They’re really a huge part of the city.”
Earlier in the day, the Calgary Grey Cup Committee visited Vancouver’s Queen Alexandra elementary school, making a donation to the school’s lunch program.
Fans from all teams were wearing their team colours at the free breakfast, including several from the Stamps’ Grey Cup rivals, the HamiltonTiger-Cats.
“We kid the Tiger-Cats fans that we’ll charge them for breakfast,” jokes Stevenson. “If they cheer for Calgary, then it’s free.”
The committee will host another free breakfast Thursday morning where everyone, even Tiger-Cats fans, is welcome.
The event is one of many taking place during the Grey Cup Festival this week. Global BC will be live at the Jack Poole Plaza throughout Grey Cup week.
Here is a complete list of 2014 Grey Cup Festival events
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