World Cup to showcase 10-day Fan Village

TORONTO - The World Cup of Hockey 2016, a best-on-best international tournament featuring more than 170 of the best players in the NHL, will include a free 10-day fan festival in downtown Toronto at the historic Distillery District from Sept. 16 to Sept. 25. The Scotiabank World Cup of Hockey Fan Village, which will serve as the epicenter of the World Cup of Hockey 2016 for fans, will be free and open to the public.
The Scotiabank World Cup of Hockey Fan Village schedule will feature a diverse mix of programming, designed for fans of all ages. Each day will feature a new and thrilling line-up of live musical performances, big-ticket prizes and giveaways, food offerings from each of the participating tournament countries, viewing parties and the opportunity to see the World Cup of Hockey Trophy up close. The family-friendly festival will occupy the Distillery District plus more than 200,000 square feet of an untouched lot east of Cherry Street, which will be known as the 'East Fan Village.'

Viewing Parties, Hockey Attractions, Special Appearances & Live Music
The festivities at the Scotiabank World Cup of Hockey Fan Village will begin with The World Cup of Hockey Pepsi Premiere Party, set for Sept. 16, with red carpet player arrivals followed by a ticketed concert on the Pepsi Live Main Stage in the 'East Fan Village.' Another premium concert with a headlining act will be held on Sept. 23. Tickets to both concerts will be available for purchase and announced at a later date.

Throughout the 10 days, Fan Village will host a variety of free, live programming including illusionist Darcy Oake; a visit to the kids zone by Paw Patrol; Brady Brady and Hero The Hero book readings; and musical performances by collective singing group Choir! Choir! Choir!, Theo Fleury and the Death Valley Rebels, Chris Weaver Band and Abba Mania, plus much more.
Every game of the tournament will be broadcast live on giant screens for the ultimate fan viewing experience, enabling thousands to unite and cheer for their country. The Fan Village viewing parties will relocate to Maple Leaf Square for the World Cup of Hockey final, a best-of-three series on Sept. 27, Sept. 29 and, if necessary, Oct. 1.
Several of the exciting free attractions, interactives and experiences fans can expect are courtesy of World Cup of Hockey partners Scotiabank, Molson Canadian and Rogers Communications, among many others. The SCOTIABANK VIRTUAL ARENA will give fans the chance for a virtual reality viewing experience, and fans can test their skills in real life at the SCOTIABANK SPORT PAD ball hockey rink. The MOLSON CANADIAN HOCKEY HOUSE will give fans the best seat in the house during live performances and viewing parties, while enjoying an ice cold Molson Canadian (must be legal drinking age). Fan Village will host the first-ever MOLSON CANADIAN HUMAN BUBBLE HOCKEY game, open to fans looking for the ultimate hockey challenge. The ROGERS FAN HUB will be filled with innovative and technology-driven interactive experiences, showcasing virtual and augmented reality to unite fans and players from all over the world.
A full schedule of events, performances and appearances, including ticket information for the Sept. 16 concert and hours of operation, will be announced at a later date and available at wch2016.com/fanvillage. Fans can join the conversation by using the official hashtag #WCH2016.
Community Initiatives at Fan Village
As fans of all nationalities unite in Toronto with a mutual passion for the game, the World Cup of Hockey 2016 will use the global platform to give back to the Greater Toronto Area community. Among the several community events planned during the two-week tournament, Fan Village will serve as the site for a special moment on Sept. 20, when 100 new Canadians will take the oath and be sworn in as official Canadian citizens.
Full details for each of the community outreach events planned for the World Cup of Hockey will be announced in the coming weeks.