An event as prestigious as the 111th Grey Cup deserves a celebration as impressive as the game itself.
And when the host city is also home to B.C.’s CFL team – celebrating 70 years – you know the whole province needs to be included.
Fans across B.C. are excited to welcome the 2024 Grey Cup Festival to Vancouver Nov. 10 to 17, but there’s no need to wait until fall to experience the excitement.
Beginning May 31, the Grey Cup Festival Tour of B.C., powered by LiUNA Local 1611, will make its way through the province, tapping into that energy and engaging fans from Atlin, in the far northwest to Sparwood and Fernie in the southeast.
Kicking off in Nelson, a custom caravan will tour B.C. through the summer, sharing Grey Cup history and excitement with 50 communities – the largest event of its kind in Grey Cup history, says Riley Wiwchar, Executive Director of the 2024 Grey Cup Festival.
“The tour gives more people a way to be part of the festival,” Wiwchar says. “It’s nice to be able to bring people together, from those who’ve been cheering on the BC Lions since 1954 to newer fans. We also have many families, so we wanted to create something for everyone.”
Made possible with the support of sponsors including the Government of British Columbia, LiUNA Local 1611 and Black Press Media, the caravan tour ends Aug. 31 in Victoria, when the city hosts Touchdown Pacific, a match-up between the BC Lions and the Ottawa REDBLACKS.
“The caravan is a pretty interesting vehicle – we’re going to have music, activities and games for the whole family,” Wiwchar says. “We wanted to create memories and to connect people from around the province, so the Grey Cup Festival Fan Camera will let fans share messages about their community or their favourite BC Lions or Grey Cup memory, for example, and cheer on the team.”
A compilation of those video clips will be shown at the festival and Grey Cup in November. By uploading their video, fans will also be entered to win a Grey Cup grand prize.
Wiwchar is thrilled to carry the excitement of the festival and the BC Lions to British Columbians. “It’s a unique opportunity to get out there and meet people – it’s very rare to visit so many communities and hear about what makes them special,” he reflects.
It’s been a decade since the Lions last hosted the Canadian Football League’s pinnacle event, but the return is timely as the club celebrates its own 70th anniversary milestone.
“The tour is also about bringing awareness to the November festival and to the team itself – we are B.C.’s team.”
Visit greycupfestival.ca for tour dates and locations near you!
111th Grey Cup tickets go on sale June 4
Grey Cup game tickets go on sale at 2 p.m. PT on Tuesday, June 4, with the 111th Grey Cup kicking off at 3 p.m. PT on Sunday, Nov. 17 at BC Place Stadium – visit ticketmaster.ca/greycup to purchase.
The 2024 Grey Cup Festival will run Nov. 10 to 17, welcoming 30,000 fans from across the country and expecting to attract over 500,000 to the festival throughout the week. With two ziplines, immersive football experiences, thrilling performances, cultural displays and much more planned, festival tickets will be available in the fall.
A variety of volunteer positions are also available to help make the event possible. Fans interested in volunteering are encouraged to register to receive more information on volunteer roles in the coming months.