National
#1 Sports Event
Dubbed the Roar on the Shore, this year’s game and festival takes place in Vancouver, home to the B.C. Lions. The game itself, held at B.C. Place, will be just one part of the festivities. Other highlights will include the Telus Street Fest, the Grey Cup House Beer Garden & Concert Series, and, of course, tailgate parties. Next: November 26-30, 2014
Montreal/Toronto
#3 Sports Event (up from #4)
Only Wimbledon and the U.S. Open have longer histories than the hard court tour event, which began in 1881 for the men and 1892 for the women. The men’s and women’s competitions, this year held in Toronto and Montreal, respectively, drew a combined attendance of more than 330,000 fans who watched Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat Roger Federer at the Rexall Centre and Agnieszka Radwanska beat Venus Williams at Uniprix Stadium for the titles. The Montreal event planned a family day for children to get tennis tips from the pros. In Toronto, an improved retail area targeted shoppers, and art lovers enjoyed the theme of the Art of Tennis. National Bank presented the matches in both Toronto and Montreal and offered more than $3 million in prize money. Tennis Canada organizes the tournament. Next: August 8-16 2015
Toronto
#4 Sports Event (up from #5)
This year, due to poor weather, the two IndyCar races, originally scheduled for two separate days, had to run just hours apart on the last day of the race weekend, making history for the event. The “2inT.O.” weekend drew fans to the track and other entertainment events, including the Stihl Timbersports Series and the Scott FireFit Championships for firefighters. Next: July 2015
Montreal
#5 Sports Event (up from #6)
More than 100,000 Montrealers and tourists packed the grandstands for the Canadian portion of the Formula One world championship this year at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on ĂŽle Notre-Dame. As many as 100 million people worldwide watched on TV; Mercedes-Benz and Labatt sponsored. Next: June 2015
Toronto
#6 Sports Event
The “Kentucky Derby of the North” awards the richest purse in Canada: $1 million in total, $600,000 for the winner. For the non-racing crowd, there’s the annual Hats & Horseshoes party, which features a red carpet and gourmet fare. New in 2014: a high-end corporate hospitality center called Gatsby in the Tent with Stella Artois as a sponsor. Next: July 2015
National
#7 Sports Event
About 150 P.G.A. Tour stars compete for more than $5 million at Canada’s FedEx Cup golf tournament. Played at the bucolic Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario, every other year and sponsored by RBC, the 2013 game was named the “Most Fan-Friendly Event” on the tour. Next: July 20-26, 2015, Glen Abbey
Vancouver
#8 Sports Event
Celebrating 25 years in 2014, the scenic marathon sold out a month before race weekend, likely because it had just been named one of the top 10 destination marathons by Forbes magazine for the second year in a row. New for 2015 will be a marathon relay along the 42.1-kilometer course. Next: May 3, 2015
Lake Louise
#10 Sports Event
The only World Cup event in Canada, and the inaugural event for the ski season, the Rocky Mountain race is Canada’s premier alpine ski event. The finish line and official cheering section are in the festival area at the base of the mountain, where music and entertainment occupy the crowds between runs. Next: Men: November 29-30, 2014; Women: December 5-7, 2014
Fairbanks, Alaska to Whitehorse, Yukon
#11 Sports Event
Following the historic Gold Rush trail, the 1,600-kilometer dogsled race sees as many as 50 teams, consisting of one human “musher” and 14 dogs, compete for the purse of about $150,000. For 2015, the organization is revitalizing its contest that allows winners to ride with mushers for the first 2.4 kilometers of the race. Next: February 7, 2015
