A free fanfest will be held at the Progressive Auto Sales Arena in Sarnia Nov. 7 to 9 as part of the Canada World Under-17 hockey tournament.
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The three-day fanfest event is a celebration of hockey with displays, hands-on experiences and interactive activities, said Tourism Sarnia-Lambton.
Six teams – USA, Finland, Sweden, Czechia, Canada Red and Canada White – are expected to draw a total crowd of about 25,000 to the tournament running Nov. 3 to 9 in the arena at Lambton College, as well as exhibition games in Petrolia , Forest and Sarnia.
The fanfest is aimed at those “who want to show their fandom,” as well as those new to hockey wishing to learn about the sport, said Adam Veen, marketing director for Tourism Sarnia-Lambton.
Hours for fanfest are Nov. 7 and 8 from 2 pm to 8 pm and Nov. 9 from 10 am to 8 pm There’s no charge for admission.
Several Hockey Hall of Fame and Hockey Canada trophies will be on display, along with interactive games including hardest shot challenges and a VR goalkeeping station.
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Hockey Hall of Fame displays will also be part of the event in the second rink at the arena, Veen said.
Trophies being displayed include the Art Ross trophy for the NHL scoring leader, Hart Memorial trophy for the NHL’s most valuable player, the Vezina trophy for the league’s top goaltender, and others.
There will also be a “local legends” display highlighting local NHL players and displays for each of the countries in the tournament, Veen said.
The Allan Cup, awarded annually to Canada’s senior hockey champions, will be part of the display, he said.
Petrolia teams were Allan Cup champions in 1979 and 1981.
The cup also was scheduled to be on display Friday evening in Petrolia during an exhibition game between Canada Red and Sweden at the Greenwood Recreation Centre.
Along with interactive games, displays and trophies, fanfest will include local hockey vendors, Veen said.
“Fanfest is the perfect way to show the whole world that Sarnia-Lambton really loves hockey,” he said.
Ticket sales for the tournament have been strong, Veen said.
“It’s going to be a full week of hockey, so we’re excited for it,” he said.
Tournament and ticket information can be found online at ontbluecoast.com/worldu17.
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