Inaugural CFL Week a joy for all ages

Dressed in a much-too-long Hamilton Tiger-Cats jersey and an adult sized helmet, a boy no older than four sprints and giggles through a tunnel as lights flash and dry ice shoots up into the air around him.

It’s just one of the events set up at the CFL Week’s FanFest for children to enjoy. All the teams are represented in a corner of the Ag-Ex building and it was a huge hit, with kids turning back to run through over and over again.

Across the way, is a small skills obstacle course, a place to try your luck kicking conversions and stacks of tires so you can strut your skills as a quarterback.

The Grey Cup is there, and just maybe, so too, is your favourite player.

Ten-year-old Winston and his friends bumped right into Jerome Messam and got his autograph along with a picture. Though the kid had his sights set on what he could get later on.

“I’m looking forward to interviewing the three quarterbacks there,” Winston said after obtaining the email addresses of Bo Levi Mitchell, Mike Reilly and Kevin Glenn after an autograph session.

Also in the autograph area was John Mitchell, who has been a CFL fan for 50 years. Under his arm, he was carrying an authentic CFL football and getting it signed by all the players he could find.

“I have been to the Grey Cups here and I enjoy it, and I’m enjoying this too,” Mitchell said but added he’s never had access to the players like he has so far at CFL Week. 

“This is the first time I’ve bumped into (a player),” Mitchell said. “But mind you, I’ve had pictures taken with both commissioners.”

Tuesday night, Mitchell was anticipating the arrival of new Roughrider Chad Owens, but he’s most excited for the arrival of a CFL and NFL legend on Thursday.

“I’d like to bump into Warren Moon,” he said. “We’ll be lined up pretty thick for that one.”

Player panels and autograph sessions will continue throughout the week at Evraz Place. For a full schedule of events click here.