Fans of the Peterborough Petes can cheer on the team’s quest for the Memorial Cup during two watch parties scheduled this weekend at the Quaker Foods City Square in the city’s downtown core.
The Memorial Cup Watch Party events will be held Saturday, May 27 when the Petes play the Seattle Thunderbirds, and Sunday when the Petes battle the host Kamloops Blazers. Both events will run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
The Petes also play the Quebec Remparts on Tuesday, May 30 in the round-robin, but no decision has been made yet on whether a watch party will be held.
The Petes advanced to the Canadian Hockey League championship after winning the Ontario Hockey League championship last weekend against the London Knights. It was the Petes’ 10th OHL title in franchise history.
Both events at Quaker Foods City Square (215 Charlotte St.) will feature a 16-foot screen to watch the games. There will also be an interactive kids’ zone, small vendors market with food and snacks, and a beer garden provided by Bobcaygeon Brewery in partnership with Sandbagger Seltzer.
A similar watch party was held on May 19 during the OHL championship series and the square hosted an OHL championship celebration party on Monday.
“Our team at the DBIA is so excited to be organizing Memorial Cup games this weekend,” said Hillary Flood, vibrancy manager with the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area (DBIA).
“Peterborough is brimming with hometown pride for our OHL champions and we want to keep the momentum going. This past weekend, Peterborough came out en masse for the Petes and we anticipate our Memorial Cup Watch Party events will be even bigger. When we think about what makes a community vibrant it really boils down to people-power. Vibrancy implies a place that is alive and active — a place where people naturally are drawn. Quaker Foods City Square has proven to be one of the most valuable spaces we have to gather as a community in times of celebration.”
Fans are asked to bring their own chairs and cash for the vendors and are encouraged to wear the Petes’ maroon and white colours.
“As the Petes go on to compete for the Memorial Cup, we are beyond excited to see the Quaker Foods City Square light up again this weekend as the crowd of hometown fans gathers together to cheer on the Petes in Kamloops,” said Burton Lee, the Petes’ executive director of business operations. “Our organization is delighted to see the outpour of community support for the Petes this season, and can’t wait to see the continuation of that amazing energy at the downtown community watch parties.”
Peterborough Mayor Jeff Leal says the Petes’ “magical run” has united the community. The City of Peterborough is providing financial support to the DBIA to host the community watch parties.
“I’m looking forward to seeing Quaker Foods City Square filled with fans, watching the games together, cheering on their Petes,” he said. “The community spirit has been brilliant. Thank you to the Downtown Business Improvement Area for organizing and hosting these family-friendly watch parties with support from the City of Peterborough. By partnering, we’re able to bring together our community to cheer on our Petes.”