Sports Events Canada 2019

National
About 500,000 fans are expected at Calgary’s Stampede Park for the Canadian Football League’s championship game and festival. Expected highlights include the Grey Cup Rodeo, daily free pancake breakfast, the 169-foot Jiffy Lube Slide, and the ATCO Stratosphere, a 60-foot-tall dome with 360-degree video projection. Shaw returns as the presenting sponsor. Next: November 20-24, 2019

Montreal
Participation by the first Canadian F1 team helped create a sold-out event this year, along with the huge popularity of trending Netflix series Drive to Survive. This year marked the unveiling of Montreal’s brand-new garage complex, featuring state-of-the-art installations, practically guaranteeing the event’s return to Montreal for years to come. Next: June 12-14, 2020

Toronto
Attendance grew as spectators watched the 1.8-mile race on a temporary waterfront racetrack. Fan Friday, which encouraged donations to Make-A-Wish Canada in return for free entry, helped increase the event’s charitable contribution to $120,000. French driver Simon Pagenaud captured the Honda Indy Toronto title. Next: July 10-12, 2020

Up from #5
Montreal/Toronto
The men’s event, in Montreal in 2019, saw record attendance of 223,000 while celebrating its 40th year with vintage courts and signage. In Toronto, 128,000 fans came out to see, among others, Bianca Andreescu win the cup on home turf. New this year: All Toronto attendees got a free ride home courtesy of the Toronto Transit Commission. Next: August 2020

Up from #6
Hamilton, Ontario
In his first Canadian appearance, Rory McIlroy won the golf tournament and the lion’s share of the increased purse of U.S. $7.2 million. Taking place at the Hamilton Golf & Country Club, Audi and Tourism Hamilton joined RBC as sponsors. New this year: the RBCxMusic concert series. The open moves to Toronto in 2020. Next: June 8-14, 2020

Toronto
Canada’s oldest thoroughbred race, and accompanying festival, reverted to two days this year from three, at Woodbine Racetrack over Canada Day weekend. Lexus sponsored the Premium Pass, while the Garden Social Pass and sold-out V.I.P. trackside viewing area were sponsored by G.H. Mumm. The event’s purse remained at $1 million. Next: June 2020

Vancouver
It was another record year for the ultra-popular and gorgeous marathon, which sold out across all distances, with 18,000 participants. After this year’s race, it was featured by Runner’s World USA as a “bucket-list destination half marathon.” BMO remained the title sponsor. Next: May 3, 2020

Vancouver to Whistler
Now in its 10th year, participation in the largest cycling event in North America grew by 35 percent this year when it was designated a Union Cycliste Internationale qualifying event for the 2020 UCI Gran Fondo World Championships. RBC returned as the title sponsor. Next: September 12, 2020

Up from #10
Lake Louise, Alberta
Audi returns as a key sponsor this year for skiing’s World Cup speed events, the men’s and women's downhill and super-G races at Lake Louise Ski Resort. New base area activation zones for the four weekend race days, plus free skiing for kids on all race days, are hoped to increase attendance this year. Next: November 26-December 8, 2019

New to the list
Vancouver
Canada's national golf tournament, an official event on the LPGA Tour, took place at the Magna Golf Club in Aurora, Ontario, this summer, with a purse of U.S. $2.25 million and Canadian Pacific as the main sponsor. The world's No. 1 female player, Jin Young Ko, won first place at the tournament sponsored by Golf Canada, but all eyes were on Vancouver’s Michelle Liu, the 12-year-old amateur who earned a spot in the open earlier in the summer. Next: August 31-September 6, 2020

Fairbanks, Alaska, to Whitehorse, Yukon
A lack of snow forced mushers to truck their dog teams for one leg of the 1,000-mile 2019 race, which grew to 30 participants from last year’s 26. Tourism Yukon and the City of Fairbanks remained two of the key sponsors. Next: February 1, 2020