Street hockey festival making Windsor stop in August

Play On! Canada street hockey welcomes players of all ages and skill levels. (Source: Play On! Canada/Facebook)

Play On! Canada announced Tuesday that a large street hockey festival will be coming to Windsor as one of nine stops in the series of sports celebrations across Canada.

The not-for-profit sport organization will welcome players of all levels and skill levels from Aug. 6-7, 2022.

The registration fee is $49 for the weekend (no tax for youth), and participants only need running shoes and a hockey stick to play.

“The City of Windsor is definitely a ‘hockey town.’ Hockey is in our DNA, and we believe sports help to unite communities, build civic pride, draw visitors to our city and positively impact our economy and tourism sector, inspire and engage youth, and provide citizens with memories that will last a lifetime,” said Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens.

Dilkens said as the city moves beyond the pandemic, he’s excited to see Play On! Canada bring its accessible and inclusive festival to Windsor, “inviting us all to make up for some lost time and experiences and to get out there to play this game we love.”

The tournament will take place downtown at Riverside Drive and Ouellette Avenue. Though this event marks Windsor’s first hosting of Play On!, the event has ties to the region. It has been held in southwest Ontario before, in London, where it attracted over 4,000 participants.

Organizers say the event will help individuals with social and health recovery and communities with economic recovery after two years of COVID-19 restrictions.

“Our youth have endured two years of not being able to play as they usually would,” said Scott Hill, chairman of Play On! Canada. “Street hockey also has potential to unite Canadians. We are excited to partner with communities to provide this unique opportunity for people of all ages to gather, laugh, reminisce, reconnect, and play together.”

According to a 2021 study by Brock University’s Centre for Sport Capacity, Play On! Canada’s sports festivals are a significant driver of sport tourism activity for a community. A typical event generates $3.3 million in local GDP activity, with an average participant spending $514 on expenses tied to the event weekend, team preparation, and training.

“Time and again, our destination has delivered on great hospitality – and at the bedrock of it all is having our businesses and residents become “tourism ambassadors,” showcasing the best there is to offer here locally,” said Gordon Orr, CEO of Tourism Windsor Essex Pelee Island.

All players will have an opportunity to invite fans to follow their teams, with fans encouraged to make donations to a charity or sport association of their choosing. Full details on player and team registration, fees, and game rules are available at www.playon.ca.