The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter games – Here at Last!
From February 12 to 28, the ocean and mountain-wrapped city of Vancouver – consistently ranked one of the most liveable cities on the planet – will host the world’s largest celebration of winter sport, culture and internationalism: the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The city of two million people is expected to swell by some 250,000 people during the 17-day period, including some 2,730 athletes and 9,800 accredited media.
Tickets and accommodation are still available for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
• For information on finding Games-time accommodation, click here.
• For information on how to purchase tickets to the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, click here.
• For Olympic-related story ideas and background, visit the Olympic Story Starters section of Tourism Vancouver’s media website.
• For Vancouver images and b-roll contact Tourism Vancouver’s Media Relations team.
OLYMPIC TORCH BACK IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
The Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay is the longest torch relay in the history of the Olympic Games, within the Host Country’s borders. It began on October 30, 2009 in Victoria BC, and is traveling more than 45,000 kilometers, and passing through more than 1,000 communities across Canada. In total, the Torch will be carried by more than 12,000 people – from average Canadians to former Olympians and international celebrities. The Relay has had a mesmerizing effect on the communities it has passed through. Indeed, it has brought all of Canada together in celebrating the 2010 Winter Games. On January 21, the Torch re-enters British Columbia and on February 4 it will approach the metro Vancouver area. Visitors and media are encouraged to cheer on the torch in the following locations.
February 4: Lions Bay, Furry Creek, Britannia Beach, Squamish
February 5: Squamish, Brackendale, Whistler
February 6: Whistler, Pemberton
February 7: Merritt, Hope, Abbotsford
February 8: Mission, Fort Langley, Surrey
February 9: Surrey, White Rock, Peace Arch (US/Canada Border), New Westminster, Tsawassen, Richmond
February 10: Bowen Island, Horseshoe Bay, Squamish, North Vancouver, West Vancouver
February 11: West Vancouver, Coquitlam, Burnaby, University of British Columbia, Vancouver
February 12: The Torch will arrive at BC Place Stadium in Vancouver at 6:00 pm to mark the start of the Opening Ceremonies of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
CELEBRATION SITES AND PAVILIONS WILL BE HOT SPOTS DURING GAMES
Any which way you turn during the 2010 Winter Games, you’ll encounter a veritable bonanza of Olympic-related events, including country pavilions and cultural activities. Some of these hot spots include:
City-sponsored celebration sites
LiveCity Downtown (February 13-28, March 12-14, 18-21)
LiveCity Yaletown (February 11-28)
Richmond O Zone (February 12-28)
West Vancouver Spirit Square (February 12-28)
Surrey 2010 Celebration Site (February 12-28)
North Vancouver Winterfest 2010 at Lonsdale Quay (February 12-28)
Provincial, national, regional and sponsor pavilions
Aboriginal Pavilion (February 12-March 1)
British Columbia Canada Pavilion (February 12-28)
Robson Square GE Ice Plaza (open now, throughout Paralympic Winter Games)
Saskatchewan Pavilion (February 12-28)
Place de la Francophonie 2010 (February 11-28)
Atlantic Canada House (February 13-28)
Molson Canadian Hockey House (February 12-28)
Holland Heineken House (February 11-28)
House of Switzerland (February 5-28)
Quebec Pavilion (February 12-28)
Canada’s Northern House (January 15-March 31)
CentrePlace Manitoba (March 12-14, 18-21)
Bell Ice Cube (February 11-28)
BC Hydro Power Smart Village (February 12-March 21)
Vancouver 2010 Olympic Line Demonstration Streetcar (January 21-March 21)
FIVE RED-HOT SOUVENIRS OF THE 2010 WINTER GAMES
Looking for your very own piece of the Olympics? Official souvenirs of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are up for the taking. From the $17 Vancouver 2010 Souvenir Program booklet to the $295 2010 Torch Replica in a Canadian alder wood box. Check out these five red-hot souvenirs, coveted by Olympic enthusiasts, available at the official Olympic Store.
1. Red mittens
Destined to become the “it” souvenir of the 2010 Winter Games, these red knit mittens sport a white maple leaf stitched on the palm and the Olympic rings on the flip side. Olympic torchbearers wear them, as does anyone lucky enough to get their hands on these super popular souvenirs. The Vancouver Organizing Committee reports that, by the middle of December 2009, over one million pairs of these $10 treasures had been sold.
2. Olympic pins
Called the “unofficial sport of the Olympic spectator,” pin collecting dates back to 1896 when the modern Olympic Games were established in Athens, Greece. Expect pin crazy locals and foreign visitors to bridge language barriers and share some fun while trading their trinkets. Getting involved is as easy as buying a pin. Prices start at $8, with pins featuring the mascots being the top sellers.
3. Plush mascots
Cute. Cuddly. Collectible. The plush versions of the 2010 Winter Games mascots Quatchi, Sumi and Miga – as well as sidekick Mukmuk – hit all the right notes for souvenir seekers. Prices start at $9.99 for Quatchi or his pals on a keychain.
4. Vancouver 2010 Inukshuk sculptures
An inukshuk is the official emblem of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. These four-inch tall inukshuk sculptures, $150 at the Vancouver Olympic store, are each a unique design that reflects the style and vision of the Inuit artisan who created it from a single piece of stone. These limited-edition sculptures are also a fine memento of one of Vancouver’s landmarks, the grey granite inukshuk that stands proudly on an outcropping at English Bay beach.
5. Hockey jerseys
There are tons of officially licensed t-shirts, jackets, hats and assorted clothing blazoned with Vancouver 2010 logos to choose from. But one particularly popular item is the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Team Canada Replica Jersey – a hot seller in this hockey crazy country.
January 12, 2010
Posted in: Canada