BC Lions’ fifth Orange Shirt Day game will feature special guests and attractions on Friday, Sept. 26, before and during the CFL team’s football battle with Toronto Argonauts.
The annual game honours Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation at Save-On-Foods Field/BC Place Stadium in Vancouver.
Players will wear special Orange Shirt Day warmup jerseys, to be raffled off in support of Orange Shirt Society and Indian Residential Schools Survivors’ Society (IRSSS).
The first 10,000 fans through the stadium gates will receive free orange t-shirts, according to a news release posted on bclions.com.
With ‘Surviving to Thriving’ as this year’s game theme, the club will also present a $20,000 cheque to Orange Shirt Society and host hundreds of residential school survivors and families.
Joleen Mitton, founder of Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week and Supernaturals, will help showcase the work of Indigenous fashion designers and the world’s first all-Indigenous modelling agency. Local First Nations rock band Bitterly Divine will perform at halftime, and DJ Oshow will handle pre-game entertainment with others. Also, fans can check out an Indigenous Marketplace during the game, presented by Prospera Credit Union, BC Hydro and LiUNA! Local 1611.
Game details were announced Tuesday, Sept. 16, at the Lions’ training facility in Surrey.
”We are once again truly honoured to host the Orange Shirt Day Game for the fifth consecutive year, standing alongside the entire Canadian Football League in recognizing this significant day as well as unveiling a few new special elements,” said Jamie Taras, director of community partnerships for the Lions.
“As we continue to build relationships with the Indigenous community, we are excited about partnering with Vancouver Indigenous Fashion Week this year as well as hosting a number of indigenous guests from Vancouver Island with the help of BC Ferries.”