We're learning more today about community celebrations planned for when the Mastercard Memorial Cup kicks off in Windsor May 18.
Officials say an "Opening Banquet" will be held at the St. Clair Centre For The Arts at 3:15pm featuring former Ottawa 67's goalie and current Maple Leafs broadcaster Jim Ralph and Windsor Spitfires legend Adam Graves. Players, coaches and officals representing the four teams in the championship tournament will also be in attendance.
The Memorial Cup itself will make its way to Windsor that same day along the Detroit River from Sarnia aboard the Canadian Coast Guard patrol vessel Private Robertson V.C. — "Witness The Legacy; The Memorial Cup Arrival" will see the ship dock at Dieppe Gardens at 6pm — the Cup will be off loaded at 6:30pm then paraded from Dieppe Park up Ouellette Ave. to the Essex County War Memorial in City Hall Square for a special ceremony. It will then be available in the lobby of City Hall from 7:45pm to 9pm.
(Photo courtesy of Tim Cornett/WindsorSpitfires.com)
"It's exciting to announce events like this as we get closer to actually hosting the 2017 Mastercard Memorial Cup," says event chair John Savage. "Everything is coming together in our quest to make this a most memorable experience and to showcase our great City of Windsor and surrounding area."
More celebrations and community events will be made public at a news conference on April 19 at the WFCU Centre.