NFL Draft: Windsor welcomes as Detroit overflows with fans
All the excitement of the NFL Draft has officially descended upon Detroit, with Windsor welcoming the spillover.
Events in the 'D' began Thursday – with record-breaking attendance putting the draft area over capacity hours before the start of the show.
Because of the crazy crowds, many fans opted to take it in from the Canadian city next door.
Like Pennsylvanian Noah Werner, visiting Windsor for the first time.
“We like the Canadian atmosphere so we decided to come stay over here,” Werner said.
He and his friends were excited to see what picks the Steelers pulled from a bar or watch party in Windsor, while some chose to stay here and take transit over to watch in person.
“We got a place just around the corner here in Windsor for a couple nights and we’re making a vacation out of it,” Lions fan Andy Rose said while waiting for his Transit Windsor bus to head across the border.
Rose brought his son to Windsor to skirt the cost increase of accommodations stateside.
Fans attend NFL Draft events in Windsor, Ont., on Friday, April 26, 2024. (Travis Fortnum/CTV News Windsor)
Transit Windsor officials said this week they had capacity to bus about 8,000 people back and forth per day.
For Saturday, Special Event Transit Buses are scheduled to depart continuously from 8 a.m. with fans required to register ahead of time.
For Chatham resident Mitch Anderson, this much excitement this close to home is a win.
“It’s good to see both sides of the border jumping together and doing something fun,” he said.
The official NFL Draft party in Windsor will kickoff at noon Saturday on the front lawn of city hall.
“It’s going to be a big touchdown for Windsor,” said Downtown council rep Renaldo Agostino.
Homegrown NFL heroes like Luke Wilson and Brett Romberg will be in attendance, with football skills trials and coaching clinics and all kinds of fun planned.
And in the evening, the Downtown Windsor BIA will throw an NFL Block Part on Ouellette with performances by Royce Da 5’9, Jody Raffoul Band and Huttch.
“A lot of people who haven’t been downtown in a while are coming back to downtown,” Agostino said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada Disability Benefit needs to be safeguarded from clawbacks, MPs unanimously agree
The federal government needs to safeguard the incoming Canada Disability Benefit from clawbacks and do more to ensure it actually meets the stated aim of lifting people living with disabilities out of poverty, MPs from all parties agree.
Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Testifying in hush money trial, adult film actor Stormy Daniels describes first meeting Trump
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday in the hush money trial of former U.S. president Donald Trump, prepared to testify about a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential election 10 years later.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Turfing Poilievre from House a clear sign of desperation by Trudeau Liberals
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca
Apple unveils new iPad Pro with 'outrageously powerful' AI-powered chip
Apple is hoping its latest iPad lineup will breathe new life into its sluggish tablet market. In a pre-recorded live streamed event from its Cupertino, California headquarters, the company introduced the latest versions of its iPad Pro and iPad Air tablets, and an all-new Apple Pencil Pro.
Katy Perry's mom was fooled by AI images of the singer at the Met Gala
Katy Perry did not attend the Met Gala on Monday, but some of the singer’s fans – and even her mom – thought she did.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.