After months of preparations and planning, the Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games are upon us.
The opening ceremony is set to get underway at West Fraser Centre Thursday, Feb. 22 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., kicking off four days of the Games.
The ceremony will feature the participant parade, guest speakers, entertainment acts, and the lighting of the BC Games torch. Participants are encouraged to dress in zone colours.
Dark blue - Zone 8 - will include local participants within the Cariboo-North East. The Cariboo-North East encompasses the regional districts of Cariboo, Fort Nelson-Liard, Fraser-Fort George, and Peace River and includes the major centres of the district of Chetwynd, the city of Dawson Creek, the city of Fort Nelson, the city of Fort St. John, the district of Hudson Hope, the city of Prince George, the city of Quesnel, the town of Tumbler Ridge, and the city of Williams Lake.
Tickets are limited for the opening ceremonies, however, locals wishing to take the event in can check out the full dress rehearsal, which is open to the public, at 10:30 a.m.
This will feature all performances and entertainment, missing only the parade of participants. No tickets are needed, and seating is on a first-come-first-served basis.
There will also be a first-come-first-served viewing party at North Star Church, livestreaming the opening ceremony, with doors opening at 6 p.m. and the show starting at 7 p.m. Family and friends of participants not able to get the limited seats at the live event, and those volunteers and parents of performers not able to attend the dress rehearsal are encouraged to attend the viewing party.
The opening ceremonies can also be viewed by livestream from a link on the Games website – bcwintergames.ca, via the Russell AV YouTube Channel, and broadcasted live on the local Rogers channel.
The opening ceremony will be emceed by Global BC Reporter Jay Durant, and will feature performances by In Song, 12-year-old soloist Ethan Smith, Jingle Dancers, For the Love of Dance, and Gold Pan City Dance. Correlieu Jazz Band will play a pre-show performance starting at 6:45 p.m.
There will be 13 sports represented at the Lhtako Quesnel 2024 BC Winter Games, over 1,200 participants from around the province, and 1,350 host society volunteers in a celebration of community and sport from Feb. 22-25, 2024. Alpine skiing, freestyle skiing and snowboarding have been cancelled due to a lack of snow. Biathlon and cross country skiing events will be held at the historic site of Barkerville on Saturday, Feb. 24 as organizers look to the mountains for better snow conditions.
Here are the times and locations of the sporting events:
Archery will be taking place at the Indoor Soccer Facility in Quesnel from 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, with the finals taking place 8:45 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. on Sunday. Medal presentations are from 11:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on Sunday.
Artistic gymnastics will kick off Friday (Feb. 23) at Correlieu Secondary School from 8:40 a.m. to 6:10 p.m. and continue on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and again from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Badminton will be held at Quesnel Junior School from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, from 8 a.m. to noon at Quesnel Junior School and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Red Bluff Elementary on Friday, and from noon to 4 p.m. at Red Bluff Elementary and 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Quesnel Junior School on Saturday, Feb 24.
Biathlon and Cross Country Skiing is set to take place at Hallis Lake Ski Centre on Thursday, Friday and at Barkerville on Saturday, Feb. 24.
Curling will be held at the Quesnel Curling Club on Friday from 8:30 a.m. to noon, and again from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., on Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and again from 5:45 p.m. to 8:50 p.m. and on Sunday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Figure skating will be held at Arena 2 in Quesnel Friday and Saturday, Feb 23 and 24. Friday’s competition will be from 2 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. and on Saturday from 1:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
Judo will take place at Lakeview Elementary School on Friday, Feb. 23 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 11 to 3 p.m. Medal presentations will take place from 3:15 to 3:45 p.m.
Karate will be held at Barlow Creek Elementary School Friday from 8:45 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Rhythmic gymnastics is taking place at Riverview Elementary School Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Ringette will take place at the West Fraser Centre Friday from 8 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., noon to 2:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. On Saturday, ringette will be from 8 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., 1:30 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. and 4 p.m. until 6:45 p.m. On Sunday, the bronze medal game will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., followed by the gold medal game from 10:15 a.m. until 11:45 a.m. with medal presentations to follow.
Speed skating will be held at Kin 1 Prince George Friday and Saturday, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. each day.
Wheelchair basketball will take place at Quesnel Junior School Friday from 1:30 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The Games will wrap up on Feb. 25 with a closing celebration in LeBourdais Park from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Everyone is invited to join the athletes, coaches, officials, and volunteers in celebrating the close of the Games.
READ MORE: Change of venue: Barkerville to host some BC Games events