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Red Deer council approves two new event sponsorships

Two upcoming events will get financial support from the City of Red Deer.
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Two upcoming events will get financial support from the City of Red Deer.

On Monday, council approved sponsorship requests to support the inaugural Red Deer International Powwow 2021 and the WHL Cup, which are both coming to Red Deer in October.

The city will be a key sponsor of the Red Deer International Powwow 2021, after council approved $43,900 in support. The International Powwow was developed as an educational experience and will honour Indigenous children of the past and youth of today. The event is scheduled to take place in Red Deer on Oct. 22-24 and expected to host 6,000 to 7,500 attendees over three days, with the majority coming from outside of Alberta.

“It is our honour to support the Powwow event as an opportunity to teach our community about Indigenous culture, arts and language, and to provide greater education and support for Truth and Reconciliation in our community,” said Mayor Tara Veer.

Council also approved $10,000 to sponsor the 2021 WHL Cup in Red Deer on Oct. 19-24. The event represents the four Western Provincial Hockey Associations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, and features the highest-rated players in the under 16 age category. The event will see 400 players, officials, personnel and scouts from across Western Canada come to Red Deer, in addition to 500-1000 spectators.

“We are glad to welcome major WHL events back to our community once again,” said Veer.

“While we are currently facing a rise in COVID-19 cases, vaccinations and other safety measures offer the opportunity for Red Deerians to safely celebrate and participate in community life.”

The funding for the sponsorship requests comes from previously approved Event Hosting & Outgoing Sponsorship funding.

In 2020, council approved $425,000 for sponsorship and event-hosting requests, $325,000 for sponsorships and $100,000 to fulfill and activate sponsorship opportunities. To date, the funds used from this budget have included $30,000 for the 2021 Pickleball Canada National Championship, $50,000 for the 2021 Canadian Finals Rodeo and $25,000 for the Men’s AAA National Championship in August 2023.

In April 2021, the Red Deer Major Event Strategy and Destination Development Framework vision was approved by council. It sets a goal to see Red Deer as the top major event destination among mid-sized Canadian cities by 2030, and is designed to strengthen the community’s readiness to attract and host new major events. Tourism Red Deer and The City are now working on a business plan to further this process.



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