The Hamilton Tiger-Cats have taken the wraps off their plans for the 110th Grey Cup Festival in November.
While the Canadian Football League’s championship game won’t be played until Nov. 19 at Tim Hortons Field, we learned Tuesday about some of the events and activities that are being planned for the week leading up to the big game.
FirstOntario Centre will play host to the TigerTown team party headquarters along with a concert series, although the musical acts remain a mystery at this point.
Details of the Grey Cup halftime show will be announced in the coming weeks. “Halftime is controlled by the Canadian Football League,” said Matt Affinec, president and chief operating officer of Hamilton Sports Group, which owns the Tiger-Cats.
The downtown Hamilton arena, along with the Hamilton Convention Centre and Bridgeworks will also host team parties for the league’s eight other clubs.
James Street North, between Barton Street and York Boulevard, will be closed to traffic and converted into a giant Grey Cup street party and the James Street Armoury will be used as an interactive area with football-themed activities.
Ticats owner Bob Young said hosting the Grey Cup in 2021, a celebration that was drastically muted by the COVID-19 pandemic, was sort of a dress rehearsal for this year’s CFL title game.
“We had been gearing up to to a lot of this in 2021 but weren’t allowed to do it because of COVID,” said Ticats owner Bob Young. “But we also got an insight into what not to do. So some of the good ideas we might have rolled out in ’21 we are not doing because we can do bigger and better things.”
Young told a large crowd gathered for the announcement at the Art Gallery of Hamilton that they plan to host a Grey Cup celebration that is “bigger and better” than ever before.
Other community events that will be connected to Grey Cup week in Hamilton include a race involving local students from Gage Park to Tim Hortons Field and the CFL Alumni Association Legends Luncheon at LiUNA Station.
“On behalf of the entire Canadian Football League, I want to congratulate Hamilton Sports Group, and their partners, on a plan for a Festival that will be true to our game, authentically Hamilton, and fun for everyone,” added CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie.
The City of Niagara Falls will also be included in the Grey Cup Festival by hosting the CFL Awards at Fallsview Casino Resort. A complimentary shuttle bus service will be offered to fans who are staying in Niagara Falls hotels and plan to visit Hamilton to participate in all the Grey Cup festivities leading up to the championship game.
“The meat and potatoes is going to be in Hamilton and the dessert will be in Niagara Falls,” said Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati.
“We know that by bringing the brand of Niagara Falls to the table it just grows the event and makes it more regional.”
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath says the anticipation for the Grey Cup celebration is ramping up as we draw closer to November.
“As Mayor, and as a lifelong fan, I’m so excited to see the Grey Cup return to Hamilton again this November,” said Horwath. “I can’t wait to welcome football fans from across the country as we cheer on our teams to victory. Oskee Wee Wee – Go Ticats!”
“We are so proud to support the 2023 edition of the iconic Grey Cup Festival,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “Bringing one of Canada’s greatest traditions and largest sporting competitions back to the Hamilton region will deliver substantial economic benefits for Ontario, support jobs and boost local tourism.”
2023 Grey Cup Festival events:
Fan Central: From Thursday through Saturday, Fan Central will be the festival hub. The closure of James St. to vehicles (between Barton St. and York Blvd.) will make it simple for fans to access the John Weir Foote Armoury on James St. and the TELUS Kick for Good Courtyard.
James Street: Fans can expect plenty of entertainment as they stroll down James St. with fun available for all ages, free of charge and produced by Supercrawl, Hamilton’s famous arts and indie music festival. Expect live music, a collection of food trucks, the Hamilton Christmas Market, photo opportunities, art installations and other live activations.
Canadian Armed Forces Fan Zone at the John Weir Foote Armoury: An unprecedented interactive area in one of Hamilton’s signature venues, this will include a specially constructed 35-yard turf football field, complete with stands and a scoreboard, that will host the Hamilton Flag Football Classic, a multi-day tournament hosted by Football Ontario.
Patrons can expect football-themed activities, obstacle courses, and an exhibit from the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. Adjacent to the Fan Zone, the TELUS Kick for Good Courtyard will offer fans the chance to showcase their kicking prowess to win exclusive prizes.
Grey Cup Traditions: The Hamilton Convention Centre, FirstOntario Centre and Bridgeworks event space will host a lineup of electrifying team parties for all nine CFL clubs, giving fans a chance to celebrate and connect with their fellow CFL devotees.
The Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ famous TigerTown event will be hosted at FirstOntario Centre along with a concert series, with the musical lineup and other details to be announced in the coming weeks.
Cheer Extravaganza: CFL Dance & Cheer teams will be performing alongside other local acts at the First Ontario Concert Hall on Saturday, Nov. 18.
The CARSTAR CFLAA Legends Luncheon: A fun celebration of the CFL alumni who have made Canadian football great, will take place Friday, Nov. 17 at LiUNA Station.
The Grey Cup Hamilton Santa Claus Parade presented by WeatherTech: The 2023 version of this annual parade has been moved to Saturday, Nov. 18 and will include CFL cheer teams, CFL Alumni, the Grey Cup trophy and other football-themed fun for fans of all ages.
The Community Race to the Cup presented by FirstOntario: Inspired by one of Hamilton’s most famous sporting events, the annual Around the Bay Road Race, and organized by the same operators, the Community Race to the Cup will see more than 2,000 local students race from Gage Park to Tim Hortons Field on Thursday Nov. 16.
PA DAY!: Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board and Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board have scheduled a PA Day on Friday, November 17 to allow students and their families to participate in the many events at the Grey Cup Festival.
YWCA Hamilton Rise and Shine Young Trailblazer Breakfast: In partnership with the Grey Cup Festival, the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board and the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, YWCA Hamilton will welcome hundreds of youth for a morning of empowerment and engagement.
SportHamilton Breakfast of Champions presented by Stelco: In partnership with the Grey Cup Festival, SportHamilton is happy to recognize and congratulate Hamilton area athletes, teams and coaches that have accomplished high athletic success in the 2023 season.
SponsorshipX Academy @ Grey Cup Festival: Located at Tim Hortons Field, participants will be able to see the site of the 110th Grey Cup the day before the big game and experience the setup of this massive event. The SponsorshipX Academy is affordable, educational and memorable; Academy content is curated to accelerate professional development as a marketer.
Game Day Neighbourhood Block Party: With roads closed for blocks surrounding Tim Hortons Field on game day, the Neighbourhood Block Party will deliver food, music, and both indoor and outdoor tailgate fun throughout the Stipley neighbourhood surrounding the stadium.
The CFL Awards: The Canadian Football League’s most coveted hardware — apart from the iconic Grey Cup Trophy itself — will be handed out on Thursday, Nov. 16 at Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls.
Built on a cliff overlooking the world-famous Horseshoe Falls, Fallsview Casino Resort, managed by Mohegan, is the largest and most elegant gaming resort facility in Canada. The awards show will take place in its intimate Avalon Threatre and feature enhanced entertainment and hospitality. Following the show, event guests will be welcomed at the state-of-the art OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino theatre for a live concert. 5,000 tickets will be available for this concert. Details on the CFL Awards and post-awards concert at OLG Stage at Fallsview Casino, including how you can get tickets and who will be playing at the concert, will be announced soon.
Further, the Province of Ontario and Grey Cup Festival will be providing a complimentary shuttle bus service for fans who are staying in Niagara Falls hotels directly to Hamilton to participate in all the Grey Cup festivities Thursday to Saturday.
The service will also be available on gameday, Sunday, Nov. 19. More details, including times and pick-up locations, will be released this fall.
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