2.5°C Light Rain 
At least one of the artists announced this week to perform in Whistler at the nightly Victory Ceremonies in February has been on the Canadian Olympic stage before. As a child, Canadian singer/songwriter Feist was one of thousands of kids who danced at the opening ceremonies for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. Now she’s set to perform a headlining set on the Whistler Medals Plaza stage on Feb. 16, 2010.
Olympic organizers (VANOC) announced the full Whistler Victory Ceremonies lineup — save one performer that’s yet to be confirmed for Feb. 22 — at the Whistler Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Tuesday (Dec. 15). The roster of performers includes Usher, Our Lady Peace, Hedley, Estelle, Jet, The Roots and K’Naan.
“The Victory Ceremonies in Whistler will be rockin’. That I know,” Christy Nicolay, VANOC’s VP of Victory Ceremonies, told a sold-out crowd at Nita Lake Lodge.
“These bands are meant to keep everybody moving and warm. We’re very proud of the lineup that will take the stage in Whistler.”
VANOC CEO John Furlong, who attended the luncheon, said the evening atmosphere in Whistler during the Games will be “magical.”
“It’s been designed to have a great celebration at night and it really weaves itself together nicely,” he said of Whistler Village. “The entire town will be a celebration zone. It’s going to be very special here and the backdrop is… amazing.”
The concerts are planned in conjunction with nightly medal ceremonies to honour the athletes who compete in Whistler-area events. Gates to the Whistler Medals Plaza will open at 4:30 p.m. each afternoon with DJ music and interactive games planned for the crowd until the pre-show at B.C. Place in Vancouver is broadcast on two giant screens.
The medal ceremonies begin at 7 p.m., followed by the night’s headlining act. The music will last between 40 minutes and an hour, Nicolay said.
“It’s going to be amazing. It’s going to be energetic, fun nights I think every single night,” she said. “It’s an amazing stage… and all great artists from around the world.”
The nightly celebrations are free to attend, but tickets must be secured for entry into the 8,000-person-capacity venue. While some tickets have already been distributed to Sea to Sky residents, a contest is being held for the next phase of ticket distribution.
At this stage, tickets to the Whistler Victory Ceremonies are only available to residents from Squamish to Mount Currie.
The contest will begin on Jan. 4 through the Tourism Whistler website, www.whistler.com. One entry will be permitted per email address at the site. The contest closes Jan. 15 and winners will be notified by email by Jan. 22. Tickets must be picked up in person with proof of Sea to Sky address at the Whistler Olympic ticket centre by Jan. 31.
Nicolay was unsure whether people will have a choice of dates for their tickets and how many tickets will be awarded per winning entry.
At last week’s Game Plan meeting, VANOC’s Maureen Douglas said some Whistler Victory Ceremonies tickets will be retained for day-of release.
The Whistler Medals Plaza lineup is distinctly different from the all-Canadian roster planned for the nightly ceremonies at Vancouver’s B.C. Place. Only B.C. pop/rock band Hedley is scheduled to play one night in each Vancouver and Whistler.
Also, while Whistler tickets are free, the Vancouver events cost $22 to $50 per ticket.
Nicolay said Whistler’s lineup is more international, and choices were made to reflect the right demographic for Whistler and the sport events that will be celebrated in the resort.
“It’s very different. B.C. Place is indoors, it’s all top Canadian artists, and (in Whistler) we’re outdoors, we’re much smaller and… we looked at what would be a good fit for Whistler,” she said.
Furlong said while Vancouver’s ceremonies will be warm, indoor affairs, Whistler’s will embrace the outdoors in the heart of winter.
“I think it’ll be fantastic. I think it’ll be one of the hottest tickets,” he said. “You’re going to come to a venue every night that’s full. The atmosphere is amazing.”
Nicolay said there are no problems with the act that’s still to be confirmed for the Feb. 22 ceremonies and people can look forward to hearing a “very big” name act announced in January for that date.
Visit www.vancouver2010.com to see the full lineup and schedule for the Whistler Victory Ceremonies. Stay tuned to www.whistler.com for more ticket contest details.
