The countdown to the 2022 Grey Cup Festival has officially kicked off.

CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie was in Regina to launch the festival and said he has high hopes for it.

“I think people need this, they want this. My belief is that the festival is going to be bigger than ever,” he stated. “I am predicting that this will be the biggest and the best CFL festival in CFL history.”

He said that people not celebrating a Grey Cup for so long will amplify the festival to an all-time high.

“I think there is an energy that is coming out of the delay that we’ve all been through together. I think there’s an energy here that is unmistakable, and I think it’s just going to help to amplify this to being a Grey Cup that will be truly special.”

“Come here in November for what I know is going to be an incredibly special celebration, what will be an incredibly special festival, what will be filled with laughter, fun, and friendliness in a way that the heartland can do better than anyone else in the world,” he added.

After two years of being apart, he said this is a great event to bring people back together.

“It is a way to bring Canadians together that is unmatched in anything else that goes out in our great country. The Grey Cup is special because it brings Canadians together in such a unique and powerful way.”

Ambrosie was joined by Minister of Sports, Culture and Parks Gene Makowsky, Mayor Sandra Masters, and President and CEO for the Roughriders Craig Reynolds.

Reynolds said they plan to put on the biggest Grey Cup Festival ever.

“We are inviting the nation to ‘Bring it to the Heartland.’ Saskatchewan is the Heartland of Canada, and our province is the heartbeat of the Canadian Football League,” he said. “We invite everyone to experience this in November. We want you to bring your fandom, energy, passion, and bring your love of Canadian football to Saskatchewan for our Grey Cup Festival.”

He said the ability to have the festival all in one place is something they are excited about.

“It was one of the reasons I think we were able to secure the 2020 Grey Cup because it has never been done before. I just think of fans coming to one site, going from a party to an event and having the stadium as a backdrop, going outside and looking where the game is going to be played, and all the pageantry that is going to be; associated with that.”

Makowsky echoed what Reynolds and Ambrosie said, in that this will be a great Grey Cup celebration.

“There is no doubt in my mind that this will be the best Grey Cup celebration ever, and it’s going to come at a very good time. The last two years have been very challenging across Saskatchewan and Canada, so I think we are ready to come together.”

When the festival comes to Regina on November 15, it will mark the first time all Grey Cup events will be hosted on a 100 acre, single footprint area.

Mayor Masters said she is excited to welcome people from across the country to Queen City.

“We cannot wait to welcome the country to our city, to our beautiful stadium, into the heartland of the CFL,” she said. “We want this to be an opportunity, a long-awaited one, to come together as a community, a community that runs coast to coast, and celebrate the game of football, its history, its traditions, and its ability to unite our country. We are excited about the 109th grey cup host city.”

“We see Saskatchewan and our capital city, as the heartland of our country, as the heart of agriculture, it’s the heart of Riderville, and it’s the heart of the CFL and its a fandom,” she continued. “Bring your pride and traditions and your spirit to this great event.”

The name for the Grey Cup Festival footprint, Mosaic Village will be the home of Festival events and activations such as the team parties, Riderville, the SaskPower Family Fair, and more.

The Harvard Media Community Stage will be an outdoor area located at the south end of Confederation Park will be home to local music acts, entertainers, and community programming throughout Grey Cup Festival Week. This all-ages area is free to attend, and Harvard Media’s on-air talent will host throughout the week.

NexGen Energy Street Festival is a free, family-friendly outdoor street festival with more than 400,000 square feet of fun activities and adventures, including the SaskPower TubeSlide.

The Richardson Pioneer Rider Nation Community Celebration is a contest for small-to-medium-sized Saskatchewan communities with the chance to win one of six $25,000 donations for sport, culture or recreation initiatives and individual Grey Cup Festival celebration parties at the winning towns to further the communities’ fundraising efforts.

Capital Auto Outdoor Tailgate. The event will be ticketed and will take place on festival grounds in Confederation Park and will feature live entertainment for thousands of fans before gates opening at Mosaic Stadium on Grey Cup Sunday.

More details about the 2022 Grey Cup Festival will be announced in the coming months.