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Let the Fun & Games Begin!
February 2006
Let the Fun & Games Begin! Whistler Celebrates the 2006 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Looks Forward to 2010 Whistler, B.C. – As the Opening Ceremonies for the 2006 Winter Games get underway in Torino, Italy, Whistler is preparing to put on a party of its own. With Vancouver and Whistler as the next location for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler is preparing to be in the spotlight in 2010, but first the community will celebrate the excitement of the 2006 Winter Games with a month of special events. Throughout February, visitors to Whistler can revel in the Olympic spirit with live daily broadcasts of Torino 2006 events, concerts, parties and a wide range of athletic and cultural activities.
“We want to give people a taste of 2010,” says Oliver Flaser, Director of Marketing for Tourism Whistler. “If you can’t be in Torino for the Games, this is definitely the next best place to be. The excitement and enthusiasm in Whistler is contagious and visitors will get to share a bit of that Olympic fever when they come this month.”
Of course, everyone wants to keep a close eye on the events in Italy. To make this easy and fun, the Vancouver 2010 Organizing Committee, Bell Canada and the Resort Municipality of Whistler have teamed up to provide a giant video screen right in the heart of Whistler Village. Daily broadcasts of Olympic events will be viewed and shared with hundreds of eager fans from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm throughout the Torino Games.For visitors who want a little more interactive experience, drop by the 2010 Information Centre in Whistler Village to check out the “Vancouver 2010 Street Hockey Challenge”, a competition designed to bring out the Olympic spirit in everyone. There will also be daily information sessions at the 2010 Information Centre to give visitors the “inside scoop” on various Olympic sports. And on February 12th at 4:00 pm, join in the Four Years to Go celebration with cake and entertainment as Whistler marks four years to the start of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. For more information about all the events at the 2010 Information Centre in Whistler, visit www.vancouver2010.com
For a more artistic approach to the Games, Celebration 2010 is the perfect complement to a day on the slopes. Created to celebrate the cultural component of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, this annual month-long festival features 150 participating artists and performers in art exhibitions, film screenings, literary and performing art events and street performances throughout the month of February. Some of the events include the Out of Bounds photography exhibition, the Made in Whistler artisan market and the Celebration 2010 Cultural Cabaret, an evening of music, comedy and dance on February 12.Celebration 2010 will even make it to the top of Whistler Mountain where the internationally-recognised Canadian Snow Sculpture Team will be putting on a demonstration of their skills. These guys picked up Canada’s first medal at the Torino Games winning the Olympic Snow Sculpture Competition on February 6th in Torino. For more information about all of the Celebration 2010 events, visit www.whistlerartscouncil.com
As the 2006 Torino Games wind down in late February, the excitement mounts in Whistler. On Saturday, February 25th, Bell presents a free concert featuring Simple Plan starting at 3 p.m. in Village Square and hosted by George Stroumboulopoulos. Visitors can experience Canada’s passion for the national game of hockey on February 26th as rabid fans gather at 5:00 am in the Village Square to watch the Gold Medal game for the Men’s Hockey on the giant screen. Olympic fever hits a high point later in the day on Sunday, February 26th as Whistler residents and visitors gather in Village Square to watch the Torino 2006 Winter Games Closing Ceremony. This ceremony marks the official start to Canada’s Games as Torino passes the Olympic flag to Vancouver’s Mayor Sam Sullivan. The celebration gets underway at 10:45 a.m. in Village Square. Come for the ceremonies and stay for the street party!
The Whistler enthusiasm is even making it all the way to Torino. Tourism Whistler, Whistler Blackcomb and the Resort Municipality of Whistler have sent a team of people over to learn as much as they can about hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games. And while they are there, the Whistler team has partnered with BC Canada Place in downtown Torino to host a series of six very special “Whistler Après” events during the two weeks of the Olympic Games. Invited guests will have the opportunity to get a true Whistler experience in a great party atmosphere. These events happen on February 9, 10, 15, 21, 24, and 26.
Whistler is a year-round leisure and meeting destination located 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Vancouver, B.C., Canada, and site for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Whistler has a range of accommodations totalling 5,400 rooms, and a wide selection of restaurants, bars, spas, boutiques and galleries. Activities range from world-renowned skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and golf, to hiking, rock climbing, and waterspouts. Whistler Blackcomb Mountains feature 3,036 hectares (8,171 acres) of terrain, with 1,530 metres (5,020 feet) of vertical on Whistler Mountain and 1,609 metres (5,280 feet) on Blackcomb Mountain. The ski resort receives 9.14 metres (30 feet) of snow per year. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is home to a diverse community of more than 10,000 permanent residents.
