In the interest of public health and safety due to COVID-19, sports leagues, events, and festivals around the world have been postponed indefinitely or cancelled outright. As per the direction of BC Public Health, several events in Kelowna have been cancelled, including:

  • The Junior All Native Basketball Tournament (JANT) from March 15-20, 2020
  • The World Mixed Doubles and Seniors Curling Championships from April 18-25, 2020
  • The Memorial Cup presented by KIA from May 22 - 31, 2020

The 2020 Canadian Senior Weighlifting Championships, which was set to take place in May, has also been postponed, though a new date has not yet been announced.

While the loss of these events and others is truly devastating for our local business community, athletes, and event organizers, it is a necessary precaution to limit the spread of COVID-19 and to help our global community get on track towards recovery from this crisis.

Tourism Kelowna would like to thank and commend all the event organizers for the countless volunteer hours and hard work devoted to ensuring successful events for participants and our community. We share in your sadness but look forward to supporting your future plans and to brighter days ahead.

As part of our Major Events Strategy, Kelowna is set to host the 2021 Tim Hortons Brier and planning is underway to leverage this event to maximize economic impact in our destination. The economic impact of the Brier consistently exceeds $8 million and we look forward to this boost and to welcoming curling fans from across Canada next year.

While the weeks and months ahead will be challenging, we will remain active in pursuing future events. We will continue to support our local tourism industry and implement our Major Events Strategy to generate economic benefit and quality of life for our community.