TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay to Begin in Toronto on May 30
Pan Am flame will land in Canada with an arrival ceremony at Toronto’s waterfront and community celebration at The Distillery Historic District
TORONTO May 26, 2015 – On Saturday, May 30, Day 1 of the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay, presented by President’s Choice® and OLG, the Pan Am flame will arrive on Canadian soil to begin its 41-day journey.
The flame will be welcomed to Canada during a special ceremony as it travels by air, water and land at Toronto’s harbourfront. The relay’s first torchbearer will depart from the ceremony carrying the Pan Am flame, followed by several torchbearers who will carry it through the streets of Toronto en route to a community celebration in The Distillery Historic District. The first Canadian to walk in space, Col. Chris Hadfield, will be the final torchbearer of the day, carrying the flame into The Distillery Historic District to light the community cauldron.
Saturday, May 30, 2015 (Relay Day 1: Toronto, ON)
Canada Square, Harbourfront Centre – 2:30 p.m. (ET) (235 Queens Quay West, Toronto)
Flame arrival ceremony:
• The Pan Am flame will arrive in a lantern carried by Chris Rudge, TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Organizing Committee (TO2015) Board of Directors.
• The flame will then be carried by Elder Garry Sault, Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, who will travel in a flotilla of canoes.
• Chief Bryan LaForme, Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, will receive the flame from Elder Sault, alongside Chief Ava Hill of Six Nations, Grand Chief Konrad Sioui of the Huron-Wendat Nation and President Gary Lipinski of the Métis Nation of Ontario.
• The ceremony will feature an exclusive soundscape produced by local musical director Andrew Craig and will include unique performances from Obeah Opera and other special guests.
• The first torchbearer of the relay will depart from the ceremony carrying the Pan Am flame.
The Distillery Historic District – 4 p.m. (ET) (55 Mill Street, Toronto)
Community celebration:
• The celebration will feature performances by the Gypsy Kumbia Orchestra, The Chimera Project, Dance Migration, Jasmine Denham and other special guests.
• First live performance of the official song of the Games.
• Flame will arrive at 5 p.m. carried by Col. Chris Hadfield, who will be the final Day 1 torchbearer.
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Media Materials
The following torch relay items are available at TORONTO2015.org/torch-relay: relay route map, full list of communities and dates, daily highlight summaries and media vehicle registration information.
All torch relay media advisories and news releases are available on CNW. Day 1 highlight images and videos will be available on Flickr by copying and pasting this URL into a web browser: flickr.com/gp/133157263@N06/x95cxd.
The torch relay can also be followed on Twitter.
About the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay
The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games Torch Relay, presented by President’s Choice® and OLG, is supported by community partner CIBC, signature supporters Star Media Group and Metroland Media, Ontario Trillium Foundation and Porter Airlines, and funding parties the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario. The torch relay will invite Canadians to celebrate and share the Pan Am spirit throughout its 41-day journey towards Toronto, the Host City of the Games.
The torch relay starts May 30, 2015, and concludes July 10, 2015, with the dramatic lighting of the cauldron at the Opening Ceremony in downtown Toronto.
The TORONTO 2015 Games are funded by the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, as well as Lead Partner CIBC and other partners and sponsors.
To learn more about the torch relay and when the Pan Am flame will visit a community near you, visit TORONTO2015.org/torch-relay or download the official TORONTO 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games app, presented by CIBC.
About the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games ticket program
Great tickets to the Pan Am Games are still available, but gold-medal sessions are selling quickly!
The TORONTO 2015 Pan Am Games ticket program is designed to be affordable and accessible for everyone by offering:
Integrated tickets: Every event ticket will allow the holder to access transit on the day of the event.
Affordable pricing: Tickets start at just $20, with 75 per cent of tickets priced $45 and under.
Half-price tickets for persons under 16 years of age, or 65 and over: Tickets will be offered at a 50 per cent discount — some will start at $10. The number of discounted tickets is limited, so buy early.
Tickets for Parapan Am sporting events will range from $20 to $35 for adults, with a youth (under 16) and senior (65+) discount from $10 to $12.50 available, depending on the event. The number of discounted tickets is limited, so don’t delay.
Easy options for buying: Tickets can be purchased online at TORONTO2015.org/tickets or at 1.855.726.2015 and internationally at 1.949.333.4824.
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Melissa Iafrate 5/26/2015 |
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