It’s the most wonderful time of the year… no, not Christmas, football season!

Calgary is fortunate enough to host the 107th Grey Cup this year on November 24th and our city couldn’t be more excited. 

While there are lots of exciting Grey Cup festivities happening around the city, why not avoid the crowds and parking hassles by hosting your own Grey Cup party? With a little planning, you can make it the most epic, memorable afternoon for your friends. Here’s the game plan:

Send your best buds a Save-The-Date for Sunday, November 24th (texts work just fine for this) then follow up with a written invitation, e-vite, or Facebook private event. Get your invites out nice and early so that you can ensure that your group doesn’t make other plans. Not all of your friends are into football? That’s alright too, having a mix of experts and newbies makes it that much more interesting.

Grey Cup kick-off is at 4:00 pm Mountain Time, so time your party so that arrivals aren’t interrupting gameplay.

The best party of any party is, of course, the food! You can have some fun with your menu choices: embrace the spirit of Calgary by grilling up some Spolumbos sausages! Or set out toppings for a make-your-own pizza station. Making a big pan of nachos with lots of cheese and toppings can also be a fun choice. Whatever you pick, make sure there is a good amount of food and adequate choices for vegetarians or picky eaters- such as veggies and dip, chips, fruit, or desserts. You can also make it a potluck style and ask your friends to bring a dish.

In addition, having a selection of beer, wine, and soft drinks is a great idea as well. Some people like to make a rum punch or a sangria to serve. Just remember to have something for designated drivers or non-drinkers.

Obviously, our Stamps will be in the final (fingers crossed) so let’s cheer on our guys by decorating with red and white! Have your guests choose their cup can be a fun activity to get everyone in the spirit of friendly rivalries- red for Stamps, green for the Riders fans, or BC Lions orange!

Our Lady Peace is the halftime act this year- get your guests grooving with a 90’s Canadian Rock playlist! That is, while the game isn’t in action.

Whether you love football or just love to entertain, throwing a Grey Cup party can be a blast. Luckily for those who get tons of joy from hosting, Superbowl is just around the corner in February and the Stanley Cup isn’t that far off! Mark your calendars for more get-togethers!