A community celebration that starts at Village Square and moves up to Skiers Plaza is planned to mark the arrival the Olympic Flame in Whistler on Friday (Feb. 5), while a smaller send-off ceremony for the flame is to take place early Saturday (Feb. 6).
The flame’s arrival will ignite a free, family-focused community celebration including a community cauldron lighting, the chance to cheer on torchbearers, local musicians and much more:
Citizens are invited to gather for the pre-torch arrival celebration from 3:30 to 5:45 p.m. in Village Square. Barney Bentall and the Grand Cariboo Opry will take the stage for a 90-minute collaborative concert that will also include regional musicians Dana-Marie Battaglia, Greg Reamsbottom, Jon Shrier and Rachel Thom. The four have been working with the Juno-award-winning artist and his rocking band to create an outstanding one-time performance for the torch relay celebration.
The Olympic mascots will stop by for a visit, and the young and young at heart can get their faces painted in the Spirit Tent to show their Canadian pride.
The celebration moves to Skiers Plaza at the base of Whistler Mountain at 5:45 p.m. Locals and guests are invited to join the community in welcoming the Olympic Flame to Whistler. The Squamish Nation Eagle Song Dancers will perform, as will Whistler's own, Ali Milner. The Whistler Children's Choir and the Whistler Singers will sing, “There's a Light/Cette Flamme,” a song performed at torch relay celebrations across Canada.
On Friday at 5:07 p.m., the torch will reach a gathering spot across from Nita Lake Lodge in Creekside. At 6:17 p.m. a ceremonial pass-off will take place between Lil’wat and Squamish torchbearers at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. The flame is expected to arrive in Skiers Plaza at approximately 7 p.m., when Tyler Allison, the Whistler Secondary School student, and mountain biker and torchbearer, will light the 1.3-metre-high Whistler celebration cauldron. Celebrations are expected to wrap up at around 8 p.m.
After spending the night in Whistler, the flame heads north from municipal hall at 7 a.m. on Feb. 6.
Municipal officials are encouraging people to line the torch route, dress in red, fly the Canadian flag and show support for the torchbearers and Canadian athletes. Feb. 5 is being dubbed “Paint the Town Red Day.” To see a map of the route, visit ww.vancouver2010.com and click on the Torch Relay icon at the top right.
