When it was announced that Whistler and Vancouver would be hosting the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games, more than 5,000 revellers packed Village Square to celebrate.
Hoping to recapture some of that community spirit, the Vancouver Organizing Committee will be hosting events in Whistler for residents and visitors throughout the 2006 Torino Games.
Schedule of Events:
Feb. 10-26 – Big screen video broadcast of Torino 2006 Olympics, with coverage from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily in Village Square.
Feb. 10-25 – Daily sport profiles. Different sports will be demonstrated each day of the Games, and there will be opportunities for people to try many of them for themselves.
Feb. 11-26 – VANOC Street Hockey Challenge. Some 16 games will face off during the Olympics, with the final game taking place on Sunday, Jan. 26 following the men’s gold medal game. The games take place at 4 p.m. daily outside the 2010 info centre in the north Village. Teams will have an opportunity to win Team Canada clothing from Hbc. You can register to take part at the 2010 Info Centre or email infocentre@vancouver2010.com . Each team will need five members, and will play with the sticks, ball, and goalie equipment provided.
Feb. 12 – Four Years to Go Celebration. Join VANOC from noon to 1 p.m. to celebrate the four-year mark before the Games open in Vancouver and Whistler. There will be entertainment, special guests, and, as always, a huge cake.
Feb. 18 – Free Ski Night at Lost Lake Trails from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. The RMOW is opening the Lost Lake trail system to cross-country skiers of all ages and abilities. There will be entertainment and hot chocolate at the Lost Lake Warming Hut, courtesy of VANOC.
Feb. 20 – Women’s Gold Medal Hockey Final. Come to Village Square at 5 p.m. to watch the final women’s hockey game of the Olympics, where Canada is favoured to at least win the silver medal while defending their 2002 gold. There will be giveaways for people who cheer the loudest.
Feb. 26 – Men’s Gold Medal Hockey Final. Same as the women’s final, but will be followed by the VANOC street hockey finals.
Feb. 26 – Olympic Closing Ceremony Celebration. Watch the flag handover from Italy to Canada, and Canadians take to the stage to celebrate the Olympics coming to Canada in 2010. There will be live entertainment on the stage after the closing ceremonies.
Feb. 25-26 – The Bell Gold Rush. Throughout the last days of the Winter Olympics, Bell is sponsoring a series of concerts and performances in Village Square. Feb. 25 will headlined by A Simple Plan, starting at 3:30 p.m. Bell, the RMOW and VANOC are also sponsoring the video screen, which will be broadcasting the Games through their duration.
Feb. 11-26 – The Whistler Arts Council will be hosting arts and cultural events, celebrating the second pillar of the Olympic movement, between athletics and the environment. Events planned included film, music, written word, fine arts, multi-media and street entertainment. For the complete line-up of events, visit www.whistlerartscouncil.com.
