Prince George, BC – On Saturday, January 17, the 2015 Canada Winter Games – the largest multi-sport and cultural event for youth in the nation – will Illuminate the North with the Central Interior Regional Community Torch Celebration in Quesnel.

The 2015 Games Regional Community Torch Celebrations are the largest 2015 Games events outside of Prince George. The Quesnel celebration features a leg of the 2015 Games Torch Relay with local torchbearers; performance by indie rock band, Bright City Heights; a DJ; Canada Games alumni and representatives; activities for all ages; fireworks; and coverage of the event by Global BC. 

The 2015 Games Torch Relay will begin at 17:00 and travel from the Quesnel & District Art and Recreation Centre to Quesnel Twin Arenas. Following the arrival of the torch at Quesnel Twin Arenas at 19:00, the Regional Community Torch Celebration will commence.

“With less than a month until the 2015 Canada Winter Games Opening Ceremony, we are thrilled to visit Quesnel to host our final Regional Community Torch Celebration,” says Stuart Ballantyne, CEO of the 2015 Canada Winter Games. “We hope residents of Quesnel and the Central Interior will join us to celebrate the magic that is the 2015 Canada Winter Games during this celebration of sports and culture.”

“The 2015 Canada Winter Games Host Society, together with the local governments of Fort St. John, Terrace, and now Quesnel, have done an awesome job of organizing these torch relays,” says Coralee Oakes, Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development. “The relays have been such a great way to share the spirit of the Games and get communities involved.”

Quesnel was named one of three Regional Community Torch Celebration sites in September, along with Fort St. John and Terrace, following the Regional Community Torch Celebration Challenge. Eight northern BC communities went head-to-head in an online vote from August 27 until September 12 to see who would host the largest 2015 Games celebrations outside of Prince George. During the online vote, over 2,500 British Columbians voted to determine the winning communities. 

In addition to the Regional Community Torch Celebration, the 2015 Games is hosting Illumination Events throughout the Central Interior region, highlighting IMAGINE: Legacy Grants in partnership with Northern Health.
The 2015 Canada Winter Games Team made stops earlier this week in McBride, Valemount, Hixon, Wells, 100 Mile House and Williams Lake.