NEWS

Rogers Hometown Hockey is making another stop in an Ontario Junior Hockey League community.

From Oct. 23 to 25, the roadshow will be in Lindsay.

“Who is excited?” the @LindsayMuskies of the OJHL tweeted.

The local mayor, for one.

 “This is exciting news for Kawartha Lakes,” Mayor Andy Letham said. “We have a long history of hockey in our communities across Kawartha Lakes - from minor hockey to NHL alumni – and Hometown Hockey is a chance for us to come together safely to cheer on our team and enjoy a two-day festival.”

“The outdoor viewing party in downtown Lindsay will show off our newly reconstructed core. I look forward to Hockey Night in Canada fans getting a glimpse of the spirit we have here in Kawartha Lakes.”

Kawartha Lakes, which includes the community of Lindsay, is one of five stops on the 2021-22 tour announced by Rogers this week.

Since its launch in 2014, Hometown Hockey has visited several OJHL rinks and municipalities, including Aurora, Burlington, Markham, Whitby, Cobourg, Brantford, Newmarket, Oakville, Mississauga, Collingwood and Milton.

Canada’s ultimate hockey festival is hitting the nation’s highways once again to celebrate passionate communities across the country and the cherished hockey memories, heroes and legacies that connect us, Rogers said in a media release.

Returning in a reimagined format, the free, fan-favourite festival will feature a full weekend of hockey-themed activities, local vendors and live entertainment – all in compliance with local and provincial health regulations. Enhanced festival protocols for entry will include proof of full vaccination, mandatory face masks, social distancing, touchless activations, digital ticketing, contact tracing and health questionnaires.

The weekend festivities in Lindsay will be followed by the pre-game show on Monday, Oct. 25, leading into the Toronto Maple Leafs at Carolina Hurricanes broadcast on Sportsnet and via stream on SN NOW. 

Tour organizers will continue to monitor and update festival protocols; full festival health and safety regulations are available here.

New this season, the Rogers Hometown Hockey broadcast hosted by Sportsnet favourites Ron MacLean and Tara Slone will take place every Monday evening, live from a central location in the host community.

Local hockey fans will be able to take in the sights, sounds and spectacle of a national broadcast in their own backyard, in accordance with local health guidelines.

The eighth season of Rogers Hometown Hockey gets underway October 16 and 17 – the first weekend of the NHL season – in the Township of North Dumfries, ON.