GRAY PARTIES-T: Full steam ahead with lots of fun planned for Gray Cup Week in Hamilton

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It may not be normal, not much is when you’re trying to do your best to fight a crippling pandemic, but there will still be a party, a few gifts, and lots of things to like from the week leading up to 108th Gray. Cup December 12 in Hamilton.

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And, if you’re still looking to buy a ticket to the game, there are nearly 1,200 Gray Cup tickets left with a capacity of 24,000 at Tim Hortons Field. You can bet those tickets will be quickly devoured once the CFL playoff image qualifies.

“We are happy with that,” said Duane Vienneau, Gray Cup director and CFL events official on Monday. “Considering Labor Day, in Ontario, we were still at 50 percent capacity, we didn’t know where we would come from on December 12th. Everything that is happening is exciting, considering there was a time when we didn’t even know if we would have fans in the Gray Cup. “

The Gray Cup, of course, is much more than a football game. It’s a gathering of fans from all nine teams in the league, along with outsiders, for a celebration leading up to the championship. As for the holidays, well, the Spirit of Edmonton, the highlight of many of the Gray Cup Week celebrations, is back.

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“The last 20 months have seen our incredible fans, the country and the world face unprecedented challenges,” said Vienneau. “Before the big game, this year’s Gray Cup Week will focus on fun, joy and Canadian football. We are trying to keep it as fun as possible and have as many fan events as we can despite the pandemic. The restrictions were lifted late, which affected our overall planning. Once things started to open up, we are trying to do our best for the fans.

“We are getting closer. We are just trying to organize the best event possible. We are really focusing on the game, we want to make sure it is as good as any other game (Gray Cup). Fan events are a bit condensed. But we know that someone who comes to town will have many opportunities to get into the spirit of the Gray Cup. “

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There are many events, many of them free, planned after the Gray Cup trophy arrives in Hamilton on December 7th.

The Hamilton Convention Center will open its doors for the commissioner’s annual address on December 10 at 10 am. CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie will provide an update on the direction of the league and answer questions from audience members. Seating is limited and fans can reserve spots for the free event at greycupfestival.ca.

For the first time, the CFL awards ceremony will be free and open to the public (December 10, 6 pm). Seats are limited. Fans can reserve spots at greycupfestival.ca. There will be an after-awards party, with $ 20 tickets available at the door.

When asked about not charging fans to attend the awards ceremony, Vienneau said: “To sell an award ticket, you have to have a marketing plan and be on the cutting edge. We just want to focus on creating some fan events and not depending on ticket sales. Some had never been to awards before. Here you have the opportunity to go, where they do not charge you “.

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Oh, and the parties. Yeah, it wouldn’t be a Gray Cup Week without some good old fashioned fun, would it?

The Convention Center will be the official home for various events and celebrations during the week. The East Social Room will be open on December 10 from 5 p.m. M. A 1 a. M. And on December 11, 11 a. M. A 1 a. M. The West Social Room will be open on December 11, 11 a.m. M. door.

“We knew that the nine clubs would not come and make a traditional team room,” he said. Vienneau. “ So we wanted to create an area where we could represent the nine clubs in two separate rooms. The fans can come out and feel like he’s in a normal Gray Cup. “

Spirit of Edmonton will host parties on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays (arrive early, will likely open around 3pm, then earlier on Saturday) at Industria Pizzeria & Bar and its traditional breakfast will take place on Saturday at Michaelangelo Banquet. Center. While Spirit’s nightly parties will have fewer people (capacity is approximately 300), it will still be packed with entertainment all day long and the excellent duo of Spoiled Rotten, Jean-Marc LeBlanc and Stephen LeBlanc, will be the closing act each night. .

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“We were nervous because we were dealing with restrictions that we weren’t used to coming from Alberta,” said Spirit of Edmonton President Gerry Haracsi. “We chose Industry because we had to be responsible and reduce the number of attendees to something manageable. There will be live entertainment all day. It will remain the same Spirit of Edmonton. It will be different because it is so small, but it is still exciting. “

Spirit of Edmonton breakfast tickets (600 of them) went on sale Monday morning and were 90 percent sold out in two hours.

The CFL Alumnist Association Legends Luncheon will be held Friday, 11 am to 4 pm, at The End Zone Bar and Grill.

The Atlantic Schooners will host their East Coast Kitchen Party on Saturday inside the Convention Center.

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TigerTown GameDay Party will be held at the Convention Center on Sunday from 10 am to 3 pm Tickets, for $ 75, are available at ticketmaster.ca.

“Gray Cup Week may look a little different this year,” Vienneau said. “But at every turn, you will see fans proudly wearing the colors of their favorite teams, you will continue to hear boisterous conversations about how their fandom came to be, and most importantly, you will still feel the passion and love for the leagues that flows through. the CFL family “.

Fans will need to show valid proof of vaccination and follow health and safety protocols in order to attend all Gray Cup Week events and the championship game.

The Gray Cup halftime show will feature Arkells, multi-platinum recording artists and four-time group of the year at the Juno Awards.