The good ol' Hometown Hockey game is coming to Aurora

2-day hockey festival and live broadcast Hometown Hockey coming to Aurora Dec. 8 and 9.

Yorkregion.com
December 7, 2018
Amanda Persico

We all share the same burning enthusiasm for our home team, whether it be the Montreal Canadiens or rivals the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Hockey fans -- of any team -- young and old are invited celebrate the best game you can name.

Rogers Hometown Hockey is coming to Aurora. The two-day hockey festival kicks off Dec. 8 at the Aurora Community Centre.

The family-friendly hockey festival features two days of hockey activities, from slapshots, and breakaways, toques and double-doubles.

Celebrate Canada’s game with NHL alum and former Toronto Maple Leafs goalie Curtis Joseph and Canadian Women’s Hockey League Markham Thunder star Laura Stacey. Other special guests include women’s hockey Olympic medallist Jayna Hefford, children’s author Lisa Bowes and a live performance by Beverly Mahood.

Live on location, Ron MacLean and Tara Slone will host a pre-game, intermission and post-game show from Aurora.

Aurora’s Hometown Hockey stop features an NHL double-header, kicking off with the Montreal Canadiens against Chicago Blackhawks followed by Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers.

This year the Hometown Hockey tour will stop in 25 communities across Canada, celebrating Canada’s game from coast-to-coast.

Aurora and Mississauga are the only stops within the GTA this year.

The tour, which started in 2014, visited Newmarket back in 2016 and Markham earlier this year.

Each week during the tour, a local organization is awarded the $15,000 Ted Rogers Community Grant. Girls Inc. with its line of after school programming designed to boost self-esteem in school-aged girls is this year’s recipient.

Aurora Hometown Hockey:

• When: Dec. 8, noon to 6 p.m. and Dec. 9, noon to midnight;

• Where: Aurora Community Centre, 1 Community Centre Lane, near Yonge Street and Aurora Heights Drive;

• Parking: There is no parking available at the Aurora Community Centre. Visitors are encouraged to park at the plaza at 60 Wellington St. or at Wellington Public School, 125 Wellington St. Both of which are within walking distance of the Aurora Community Centre

• NHL game matchup: Dec. 9

• Montreal Canadiens vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 5:30 p.m.

• Calgary Flames vs. Edmonton Oilers, 9 p.m.

• There are a number of fun family items taking place during the two-day hockey celebration, including:

• Fan Hub: interactive hockey experiences, autograph signing with Toronto Maple Leafs alumni Curtis Joseph, video game stations and bubble hockey;

• Virtual Photo Booth: Get up close and personal with your favourite NHL player with virtual technology. Take photos with and test your skills against your favourite NHL stars;

• Hockey Circus Show: Renowned hockey acrobat Paz puts on a show, juggling pucks and flaming hockey sticks while standing on top of a net;

• Community Hockey Rink: Enjoy an outdoor game of ball hockey and interact with NHL alumni and Canadian Women’s Hockey League player Laura Stacey.

• Ram Haul of Fame: Test your skills and race against the clock in a hockey-themed obstacle course. With a flick of the wrist, try your luck in the breakaway contest.

• Kids Zone: Faceoff against friends, family and NHL figures.

There will also be complementary pizza slices, popcorn, hot chocolate, coffee and a community barbecue hosted by the Aurora Minor Hockey, Central York Girls Hockey associations and York-Simcoe Express.