DUSTIN COOK Grey Cup fest to feature 50 events, 28 music acts
A five-day Grey Cup party is expected to bring an $80-million to $100-million boost to Edmonton’s economy in November.
The Strumbellas and Platinum Blonde are among the 28 acts coming to Edmonton as part of the Grey Cup festival leading up to the big game in November.
Tickets are now on sale for the more than 50 events running Nov .21 to Nov. 25 that were announced during Wednesday’s festival kickoff at the Shaw Conference Centre.
Scoring a ticket to the Nov. 25 football game was also top of mind for those in attendance. More than 53,000 tickets have been sold for
the 106th Grey Cup with less than 2,600 still up for grabs.
“We’ve estimated and projected the economic impact is going to be anywhere between $80 million to $100 million for this city,” Edmonton Eskimos president and CEO Len Rhodes said during the announcement.
“Everywhere we go throughout this city, people are talking Grey Cup and everyone wants to participate in some way.”
The week of activities will run downtown with the Shaw Conference Centre serving as the home base. The Grey Cup gala dinner on Nov. 23 will include performances from headliner Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea, Martin Kerr, Celeigh Cardinal and Paul Woida.
Canadian classic rock will be on display the following day with Loverboy, Trooper and Kim Mitchell performing in the Coors Light Concert.
Tickets for the gala dinner are $375 and concert tickets are $75.
For those looking for a cheaper option, free entertainment will run throughout the festival with 17 Canadian acts performing outdoors.
The street festival will run along Jasper Avenue from 96 Street to 99 Street. Street festival acts include The Rural Alberta Advantage, The Strumbellas and Jay Sparrow, who gave a sneak peek performance at Wednesday’s press conference.
“I think it’s going to be great,” Edmonton-based Sparrow said after his performance of Cold Winter Song. “I like playing outside. It’s going to be weird because it’s the Edmonton winter, or at least it’s been so far.”
This is his first time performing at a big football game, Sparrow said, and he is looking forward to sharing this experience with his hometown crowd.
Other festivities include two Spirit of Edmonton Breakfasts, with less than 100 tickets remaining, and the downtown parade on Nov. 24 where Postmedia’s Terry Jones will serve as honorary parade marshal. The parade will run down Jasper Avenue from 108 Street to 101 Street.
Performers for the Grey Cup halftime show will be announced during the Eskimos game Sept. 29 against the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. A full lineup of entertainment and events can be found on the festival website.