Entertainment and activities | June 9, 2015
Mississauga residents are invited to play combative sports at the VIVA Mississauga Combative Sports Event on Saturday, June 13, 2015 in preparation for the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games.
“Families and residents of all ages will have the opportunity to be active, have fun, and learn about the many popular and celebrated martial art programs in Mississauga,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “Mississauga is truly excited to welcome the world to our community for the Pan Am Games. The anticipation, energy and spirit of the Pan Am Games are thriving throughout our neighbourhoods. With events like this, residents can enjoy a better understanding and appreciation for the discipline, practice, and skills needed to compete and win like an internationally-renowned professional athlete.”
The free community event, funded by the TO2015 Ignite Program, is an interactive demonstration focusing on the combative sports of taekwondo, wrestling, judo, karate and kung fu. Entertainment will include a colourful kung fu presentation of over 50 performers, drumming shows, a live orchestra, lion and dragon dance teams and folk dances. Educational exhibitions of each sport will also be onsite led by local athletes Ohenewa Akuffo, Canadian Olympian and two-time silver medalist at the Pan Am Games, and Anthony Carelli, Canadian professional wrestler.
The event will take place at the Hershey Sports Complex located next to the Mississauga Sports Centre (MIS) (known as the Hershey Centre); it will be the venue for the Pan Am sports of judo, karate, taekwondo, and wrestling and the Parapan Am sports of goal ball, powerlifting and wheelchair rugby.
What:
VIVA Mississauga Combative Sports Event
Who:
When:
Saturday, June 13, 2015
10 a.m. – Opening Ceremony
11 a.m. – 5 p.m. – Interactive sport activities
5 – 6 p.m. – Open Floor Activities
Where:
Hershey Sports Complex
5600 Rose Cherry Place
Mississauga, ON
Cost:
Free
The event is open to community members of all ages.
This summer, Toronto and the Greater Golden Horseshoe region will host the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games. This will be the largest international multi-sport event ever hosted in Canada. The Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games take place from July 10 to 26, 2015 and the Parapan Am Games from August 7 to 15, 2015. The Games will welcome more than 10,000 athletes and officials from 41 countries as well as tourists, media and members of the Games family.
The City of Mississauga is one of 16 communities outside of Toronto that will host events in both the Pan Am and Parapan Am Games. The Hershey Centre will be known during Games time as the Mississauga Sports Centre (MIS) where Mississauga will host seven sport competitions: judo, karate, taekwondo, wrestling, goalball, powerlifting and wheelchair rugby. To help keep athletes, spectators, business owners and residents moving safely and efficiently during the Games, the City will implement some temporary traffic measures.
For more information about the TORONTO 2015 Pan Am / Parapan Am Games in Mississauga visit discovermississauga.ca.
The IGNITE program is a community partnership enabling individuals, organizations and communities to create their own Pan Am / Parapan Am Games initiative and/or increase awareness of existing initiatives by being associated with the TORONTO 2015 Games.
Media Contact
media@mississauga.ca