Free tickets now required to enter Whiteout Street Party

If you want to make sure you get into the Whiteout Street Party this round, you’ll have to get a ticket.

They don’t cost anything, but organizers want to cap how many people can get into the party to watch the Winnipeg Jets take on the Vegas Golden Knights.

“To ensure the site remains safe, secure, and enjoyable for everyone, True North, along with Economic Development Winnipeg and the City of Winnipeg, has made the decision to issue tickets online,” the group said in a release.

“Having a pre-determined street party capacity, achieved through ticketing, allows organizers to eliminate the variables of larger-than-expected crowds and to assess more accurately the necessary resources required to keep the street party a safe and enjoyable experience for all fans.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "Having a pre-determined street party capacity, achieved through ticketing, allows organizers to eliminate the variables of larger-than-expected crowds and to assess more accurately the necessary resources required to keep the street party a safe and enjoyable experience for all fans."

True North said they are expecting a crowd in the range of 20,000-25,000, however the site can actually hold more than that.

“Our capacity for the entire site is about 27,000, and when that amount of tickets is distributed they will be turned off,” Kevin Donnelly, Senior VP of Venues & Entertainment with True North said. “We’re encouraging people to download the ticket, you can either download it on your mobile phone, we have enabled a print at home option if you don’t have a mobile phone but have access to a computer.”

Fans can also pick up tickets at the box office at Bell MTS Place.

You can download a maximum of eight tickets per order for the first two Whiteout Street Parties during the Western Conference Final. Tickets for later parties will be made available if necessary.

Fans who show up at Saturday’s street party without a ticket may not be allowed in depending on how many people are there. Donnelly said they are re-configuring the site to allow for more space with the addition of the parking lot north of Graham Avenue.

“We are opening up some space so that there is more square feet per person,” he said.

Gates open Saturday at 4 p.m. for the party ahead of Game 1 between the Jets and Golden Knights, which starts at 6 p.m.

If you have a ticket to the game, that will get you into the party as well. Fans will be able to scan in and scan out.

You can still bring non-perishable food items for Winnipeg Harvest. According to the Jets, over 31,000 lbs. of food have been donated through playoff-related events.