MEDIA ADVISORY: CAPITAL PRIDE GREY CUP PARTY PRESENTED BY YOU CAN PLAY

OTTAWA – On Thursday night the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the Grey Cup Festival will host the Capital Pride Grey Cup Party presented by You Can Play. Everyone is welcome at the event, which will be produced by local Ottawa organization Queer Mafia and hosted by Ottawa Capital Pride.

The event will take place in the Horticulture Building at Lansdowne Park and will feature a wide variety of programming and entertainment to celebrate the close relationship between Canadian football and the LGBTQ community during Canada’s biggest party.

CFL players and alumni – including Ottawa REDBLACKS Antoine Pruneau, Brendan Gillanders and You Can Play Ambassador Greg Ellingson – will be present and the Grey Cup trophy will make a special appearance.

Click here to buy tickets to the Capital Pride Grey Cup Party presented by You Can Play.

Last year’s event, held at Striker Sports Bar in Toronto, was the first of its kind – an official LGBTQ party held during the CFL’s championship week. The gathering was a huge success, bringing together the Toronto LGBTQ community, CFL fans from across the country, and local leaders to celebrate the Grey Cup.

“Grey Cup Week is about bringing people together,” said CFL Commissioner Randy Ambrosie. “This event is going to celebrate inclusion, diversity and all that makes this week – and the CFL – so great. It’s going to be a whole lot of fun, and I’m proud to continue our partnership with You Can Play to make it happen.”

"Last year we made history and it is incredible to see this new tradition continue this year in Ottawa with our partners Ottawa Capital Pride and Queer Mafia,” said Jillian Svensson, Vice President, Development & Operations, You Can Play. “The CFL is a leader in professional sports when it comes to supporting the LGBTQ community and we hope to see everyone on Thursday to celebrate a truly unique Canadian event."