Potential to be ‘the biggest and best collection of events in the history of the Grey Cup.’ Pictured is an artist rendering of James Street, which will serve as the heart of the festival. Photo credit: Grey Cup Festival
Organizers of the upcoming Grey Cup in Hamilton had already announced that Tim Horton’s Field will be receiving a significant makeover for the big game, and just this week they revealed plans for a massive festival with over 40 events.
A special festival announcement event was held on Tuesday in Hamilton and featured Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath, local MPP and Ontario Minister of Sports, Tourism, and Culture Neil Lumsden, Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati, Canadian Football League (CFL) Commissioner Randy Ambrosie, and Hamilton Tiger-Cats owner Bob Young.
More than 40 events will take place over Grey Cup week from Monday, November 13 until the big game kicks off on Sunday, November 19.
Organizers revealed that the Friday before the Grey Cup will be a P.A. Day for all elementary and high school students in Hamilton, James Street North will be closed to traffic and will become “Fan Central”, the John Weir Foote Armoury building will become an activity centre with a 35-yard mini Tim Horton’s Field, and the City of Niagara Falls will play a special role in hosting the CFL Awards.
The City of Hamilton’s Santa Claus parade will also take place the same weekend as the Grey Cup as yet another added attraction. It will be held on the Saturday.
Scott Mitchell, CEO and Managing Partner of Hamilton Sports Group, said that the 2023 Grey Cup “is our opportunity to show the country what makes our city so special.”
“Fan Central” on James Street is being produced by Supercrawl organizers and will feature live music, food trucks, and a Christmas Market.
The event will run from Thursday, November 16 until Saturday, November 18 and will be free of charge. James Street will be closed between Barton St. and York Blvd.
Team parties will be held at the Hamilton Convention Centre, FirstOntario Centre, and Bridgeworks throughout the week and a concert series will be held at the FirstOntario Centre. Musical line-ups and further details will be announced in the coming weeks.
But one of the biggest surprises announced on Tuesday is that the City of Niagara Falls will be playing a part in Grey Cup events.
The CFL Awards will be held at Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls on Thursday, November 16. The awards show will take place in the Avalon Theatre.
Following the show, event guests will be welcomed at OLG Stage at the casino for a live concert. There will be 5,000 tickets available for the concert. Ticket details will be announced soon.
Mitchell said that the addition of the City of Niagara Falls to Grey Cup events is thanks to support from the Province of Ontario. Free shuttle services will run from Niagara Falls to downtown Hamilton for the festivities.
Lumsden says that expanding events throughout the region will make the experience more “widespread.”
“And that’s what it’s all about,” he added.
Diodati, the Niagara Falls Mayor, also took to the stage on Tuesday to share his excitement about his city being added to the events roster.
“The way I look at it, it’s a buffet of fun and excitement, and we’re just going to add one more offering on the buffet, one more reason to come, one more reason to stay a little bit longer,” said Diodati.
“The meat and the potatoes are still going to be here in the Hammer, but the dessert table is going to be in Niagara Falls. And think about where 90 per cent of Canada’s ice wine is produced: it is in Niagara. And we’re going to have lots of that.”
A press release from organizers says that they believe this year’s Grey Cup in Hamilton will be “the biggest and best collection of events in the long and storied history of the Grey Cup.”
The City of Hamilton also hosted the CFL Final in 2021, but most of the original plans for the stadium were only partially realized due to the lingering COVID pandemic.
To make up for it, the league awarded Hamilton the 2023 final.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
