What's Happening in London, ON…

A touring street hockey tournament is set to launch its 2021 season in London this summer.

Hockeyfest sees teams at all levels of skill play hockey on cement surfaces that are otherwise half-sized replicas of professional rinks, complete with boards and nettings. The event is split into divisions based on age, gender and level of competition. Each team is guaranteed at least four games.

The games involve teams of three skaters and a goalie playing at a time, along with three substitutes, with the exception of the under nine event, which is four-on-four. The outdoor tournament has adopted social distancing measures, such as dividing the tournament into “pods” to be able to continue running.

The series of tournaments first launched in London in 2018 and has since travelled across the country. Past tournaments featured DJs and live music, as well as food and drink vendors and hockey-related mini-games. The 2021 tour will also see Hockeyfest events in Ottawa and Prince Edward Island, as well as a venture in the United States, with stops in Chicago and Minneapolis. Events like this, often promoted through means such as poster printing and social media, are popular both among families and adults looking to recapture childhood passions.

Hockeyfest is currently scheduled to kick off its 2021 season on June 11th at the Westmount Shopping Centre, with the tournament running until the 13th.