Hamilton Sports Group unveils its plans for '23 Grey Cup Festival

HAMILTON — The second time will be the charm for Hamilton's Grey Cup organizing committee.

On Tuesday, the Hamilton Sports Group unveiled its plans for the 2023 Grey Cup, which will be held Nov. 19 at Tim Hortons Field. It will mark the second time since 2021 that the CFL's championship game will be held at the venue.

But in 2021the CFL was just coming out of the global pandemic, which forced the league to cancel the 2020 campaign. Social-distancing protocols back then resulted in a drastically reduced Grey Cup festival.

This year, there will be over 40 events during Grey Cup week.

"Hamilton is the heart and soul of the 2023 Grey Cup Festival, which is our opportunity to show the country what makes our city so special," Scott Mitchell, chief executive officer and managing partner of Hamilton Sports Group, said in a statement.

"Support from the Province of Ontario has paved the way for us to incorporate the accommodations and world-class entertainment facilities in Niagara – and to connect everything and everyone with free, safe and reliable shuttle services that will run from Niagara Falls to downtown Hamilton during the festival."

From Nov. 16-18, a portion of Hamilton's downtown core will be closed to vehicles, allowing people to access the John Weir Foote Armoury and Telus Kick for Good Courtyard. There will be other forms of entertainment, free of charge, available for fans.

The Canadian Armed Forces Fan Zone at the John Weir Foote Armoury will feature a specially constructed 35-yard turf football field, complete with stands and a scoreboard. It will host the Hamilton Flag Football Classic, a multi-day tournament run by Football Ontario.

Meanwhile, the Hamilton Convention Centre, FirstOntario Centre and Bridgeworks event space will also stage a number of team parties for all nine CFL teams. The annual CFL Alumni Association Legends Luncheon will take place Nov. 17 at LiUNA Station.

The Grey Cup Hamilton Santa Claus Parade has been moved to Nov. 18.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2023.