The 100th Grey Cup Festival began this week and is scheduled to run until Sunday, November 25. As a member of the Century Team, I am sharing with you a sampling of some of the fantastic events that are happening throughout downtown Toronto. This is a milestone year and as a gift back to the city, the Grey Cup Festival is offering more free events than ever before. There will be ten days and eleven nights of events to be held at various locations including Yonge-Dundas Square, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Nathan Philips Square, Front Street and more.

This weekend, there is sunshine in the forecast making it a perfect time for families to come out to the Nissan Family Zone at Yonge-Dundas Square. There will be a mini football field, live music, cheerleading demonstrations, marching bands and several food stations by the Eaton Centre’s Urban Eatery, Smoke’s Poutinerie, Marc Angelo and more. And the Nissan Family Zone is completely free! It will be open this Saturday from 12pm to 3pm and Sunday from 11am to 6pm.

Head on down to Nathan Phillips Square Saturday morning between 11am and 4pm and be the first to try the Toronto Sun Zipline which is 725 feet long, the tallest urban zipline in North America. The $20 trip will take you from City Hall to the tip of Queen Street. Proceeds from the Toronto Sun Zipline will go to support the Argos Foundation. Later that evening, you can enjoy the Cavalcade of Lights from 5pm to 10:30pm. Sunday morning brings you the mbna Adrenaline Zone which brings you top-notch live music acts, completely free to the public, as well as an obstacle course led by the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces.

Also, on November 20, the 100th Grey Cup Festival is holding Bullying Prevention Day in the Nissan Family Zone. Students from across the GTA converge on the Square to take part in a day of programming featuring Family Channel’s Lindsay Hamilton, Aliya Jasmine from MTV, MuchMusic’s T-RexXx and a special address from four-time Grey Cup Champion Michael “Pinball” Clemons. There will be musical performances, video messages, and students will take a pledge to stop bullying in schools, all in line with the Argos Foundation Huddle Up Bullying Prevention program, presented by Tim Horton’s. 

For a full lineup of events and to purchase tickets to parties such as the TELUS Players Party featuring K'naan and Kardinal Offishall, visit 100thgreycupfestival.ca.