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You’re invited Calgary! Celebrate the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games at the Safeway Champions Celebration

February 6, 2024

Be a part of the energy of the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Calgary 2024!

All Calgarians are invited to join the Champions Celebration, presented by Safeway – Saturday, March 2 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Olympic Plaza.

This FREE, family-friendly event will bring the community together with more than 800 athletes representing Canadians from coast-to-coast-to-coast in the heart of Calgary at one of the city’s most iconic outdoor venues. Afterall, Olympic Plaza was purpose-built to host the medal ceremonies for the 1988 Olympic Winter Games, making it the perfect place to celebrate sporting achievement, national pride, volunteerism and inclusivity while hosting awards presentations for the medallists of the Calgary 2024 Games!

“As the largest corporate partner in the history of Special Olympics Canada, we are thrilled to sponsor the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Calgary 2024. For decades, Safeway has stood alongside Special Olympics to help build inclusive communities while breaking down barriers for individuals with intellectual disabilities. At the Safeway Champions Celebration, we look forward to helping lift up and celebrating Special Olympics athletes in their pursuit of excellence” said Renée Hopfner, Head of Corporate Citizenship for Empire Company Limited.

The Safeway Champions Celebration will also feature a pancake breakfast, a variety of special performances, including figure skater Elladj Baldé, music by local DJ Paul Spencer of Split Circuit Sound, photo booths, and a public skate.

The Special Olympics Canada Winter Games takes place throughout Calgary, February 27 – March 2. Athletes, coaches and support teams, will compete in one of eight sporting disciplines — five-pin bowling, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, curling, figure skating, floor hockey, snowshoeing, and speed skating. 

“Safeway’s longstanding support of the Special Olympics movement plays a critical role in helping to build inclusive communities while breaking down barriers for individuals with intellectual disabilities,” said Karen Dommett, general manager, Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Calgary 2024. “We are thrilled to have Safeway supporting our mission to make our community more inclusive for people with a disability, and I can think of no better way for Calgarians to show their support to this important movement than joining us at Olympic Plaza.”

While many of the week’s events are limited to the public, the Safeway Champions Celebration is a chance for Calgarians to participate and connect with this incredible community.

Mark your calendar, don your red and white clothing, and grab your ice skates – the Safeway Champions Celebration promises to be an inspiring way to cap off Calgary 2024 and continue this city’s legacy of hosting world-class sporting events.

* In the event of inclement weather, the celebration will be moved indoors to the City Hall Atrium.

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Land Acknowledgement

The Bow and Elbow rivers meet is a place of confluence where the sharing of ideas and opportunities naturally come together. February 2024, Calgary will be gathering place for more than 1,200 Special Olympics athletes from across Canada in their pursuit of sport excellence and connection. Indigenous peoples have their own names for this area that have been in use long before Scottish settlers named this place Calgary. The Métis call the Calgary area Otos-kwunee [“oh-tus-skwahnee”]. In the Blackfoot language, they call this place, Moh-kins-tsis [“mohk-kin-stis”]. The Îethka Stoney Nakoda Nation refer to the Calgary area as Wîchîspa Oyade [“win chee spa oy ah day”] and the people of the Tsuut’ina [“sut sinah”] nation call this area Guts-ists-i [“Goot-sits-say”]. We would like to acknowledge that the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games Calgary 2024 will be located on the traditional territories of the people of the Treaty 7 region in Southern Alberta. This includes: the Siksika [“sit-sicka”], Piikani [“peegun-ee”], and Kainai [“gay-nah”] collectively known as the Blackfoot Confederacy; the Îethka [“yitch ka”] Nakoda Wîcastabi [“wee che stahbi”] First Nations, comprised of the Chiniki, Bearspaw, and Good Stoney Bands; and the Tsuut’ina [“sut sinah”] First Nation. The city of Calgary is also homeland to the historic Northwest Métis and to Métis Nation of Alberta, Region 3. We acknowledge all Indigenous urban Calgarians, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis, who have made Calgary their home. We work, play and reside on this sacred gathering place and the Games will provides us with an opportunity to engage in and demonstrate leadership on reconciliation.