Hometown Hockey is Officially Coming to Brampton

Brampton | Ontario | Latest News | Top 5 Fun |

Published September 7, 2017 at 12:56 am

If you love sports – especially hockey — you’ll be excited to know that Brampton has been selected as a host for the 2017/2018 season of Rogers Hometown Hockey!

If you love sports – especially hockey — you’ll be excited to know that Brampton has been selected as a host for the 2017/2018 season of Rogers Hometown Hockey!

As Canadians, hockey is fundamental to us — it’s practically in our blood. Here in Brampton, there are an abundance of hockey fans, and now, those fans and everyone else in the city will have the chance to enjoy a massive celebration of hockey on Saturday, March 10 (noon-6 p.m.) and Sunday, March 11 (noon-end of viewing party) this year.

The grand event will take place in Garden Square, boasting a weekend of family-friendly, free programming and hockey festivities. Anyone and everyone is invited.

What exactly happens at Rogers Hometown Hockey, you ask? 

Well, it’s basically a festival that visits 24 communities across Canada, and it’s all about hockey. The entire tour will take place from October to April for the 2017/2018 NHL season.

“Our city is extremely proud to have been selected as one of 24 communities across Canada to host Hometown Hockey for the 2017/2018 season,” said Mayor Linda Jeffrey. “My council and I are excited for the opportunities to showcase our city that this widely-enjoyed television broadcast will provide, and look forward to ‘painting downtown Brampton red’ alongside our enthusiastic residents and local businesses at this exciting, family friendly event.” 

Tour elements include activities, contests, NHL alumni autograph signings, giveaways and concerts. There will also be a meet-and-greet with NHL alumni Darryl Sittler, Rick Vaive and Wendel Clark.

The free hockey-themed weekend will feature a Rogers Fan Hub, pick up ball hockey games, performances by Ashlynne Vince on Saturday, followed by AHI and the Skydiggers on Sunday, free pizza slices from Dr. Oetker Giuseppe Pizzeria, and much, much more.

Following festivities in the Square on March 10, you can join Ron MacLean and Tara Slone on March 11 at 6 p.m. for a live, pre-game broadcast from the Rogers Hometown Hockey Mobile Studio. Then, there will be an outdoor viewing party on the big screen at 7 p.m. when the Calgary Flames, including hometown player Sean Monahan, take on the New York Islanders.

The tour engages Canadians in the NHL across the country as a nationally recognized television event. According to the city, Rogers Hometown Hockey is viewed by anywhere from 500,000 to one million people.
“Hometown Hockey is a nationally recognized tour that unites communities and allows them to come together to show their pride not only for local hockey, but also for the cities they call home,” said Bob Darling, Director, Economic Development and Culture. “It stands to have an up to $1 million impact on Brampton, and will provide fundraising opportunities for local organizations. Events such as Hometown Hockey are integral to building vibrant urban centres and ignite opportunity and instill pride in those who live and work here.”       
The tour kicked off in Niagara Falls on October 8, 2017, and ends on April 1, 2018, in Montreal. More stops on the tour include Winnipeg, Kingston, and Charlottetown.

Residents are asked to wear red to welcome Hometown Hockey, and the clock tower at City Hall will be lit up in red to celebrate, too!

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