CALGARY, ALTA. - Grey Cup festivities are underway in Calgary, with football fans gathering from across Canada ahead of Sunday’s championship game between the Montreal Alouettes and Edmonton Elks.
The Cenovus Energy 2026 Grey Cup Festival is expected to draw thousands of fans to Stampede Park, providing a significant economic boost to the host city.
Organizers project about 300,000 visits across festival events, including approximately 30,000 out-of-town visitors.
Grey Cup Festival Executive Director Karen Dommett said the celebrations are expected to generate roughly $50 million in economic activity.
But the celebrations extend well beyond the two teams competing for the championship.
“It’s the union of Canada. It doesn’t matter who’s playing in the game,” Dommett said.
“The Grey Cup Festival brings together this rainbow of tourists from coast to coast, where everyone comes together.”
Some long-standing Grey Cup traditions are also taking centre stage.
The Grey Cup trophy made an appearance at a pancake breakfast at the Royal Canadian Legion on Thursday, alongside a special guest, Tuffy the horse.
Steve Sommerfeld, chair of the Calgary Grey Cup Committee, was riding Tuffy as part of a tradition dating back nearly eight decades.
“This is the tradition that has been going on for 78 years that we keep Tuffy. And we’ll be checking into the hotel a little bit later today as well,” Sommerfeld said.
The tradition began in 1948, when Calgary Stampeders‘ supporters brought a horse into Toronto’s Royal York Hotel during Grey Cup celebrations.
This year’s Tuffy is a 12-year-old Appaloosa named Taffy, who has also appeared in film and television productions.
At the Suncor Street Festival, Saskatchewan Roughriders’ fans Donna Appel and Vern Haubrich were dancing to music on Thursday.
Their team may not be playing in Sunday’s final, but that hasn’t dampened their enthusiasm.
“It’s just atmosphere… fans from all over Canada and provinces get together and everyone’s having a good time,” Haubrich said.
“It’s (the) kind of thing that brings the country together too.”
Inside the TELUS Family Zone at the BMO Centre, Toronto Argonauts’ superfan Michael Ventura was celebrating his 18th Grey Cup.
“It’s the best party in Canada, bar none. Everybody is so friendly,” Ventura said.
Calgary’s unusually warm November weather was particularly welcome for Ventura, who was sporting an elaborate Argonauts costume.
Also enjoying the festivities at the TELUS Family Zone were Saskatchewan Roughriders’ fans Marg and John Ohm, a mother and son who were sharing a special Grey Cup experience.
At 80 years old, Marg is attending her first Grey Cup celebration, while John has attended more than half a dozen.
John became emotional when asked what it meant to share the experience with his mother.
“It means a lot right here,” he said, gesturing toward his heart.
Marg had a simple explanation for her passion for Canadian football.
“There’s nothing like the CFL. Nothing like the CFL,” she said.
The Grey Cup Festival continues through the weekend before the Alouettes and Elks kick off at McMahon Stadium on Sunday at 5 p.m. Alberta Time.
