Hockey Canada Foundation names Halifax to host 13th Celebrity Classic in 2016

Hockey Canada and The Hockey Canada Foundation announced they will be tapping into maritime hospitality, and hosting the annual celebrity classic in Halifax on June 20-21, 2016.

Canadian businessman and Canadian Hockey Foundation board of directors member Jim Treliving made the announcement on Thursday at the Halifax Sports Hall of Fame.

The two-day event begins with a gala at the Cunard Centre to honour Canada’s national teams who have won gold at various International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) championships. The gala is also an opportunity to honour this year’s distinguished Honourees of the Order of Hockey in Canada.

“The Order is the acknowledgement of great Canadians who, in one way or another, have committed themselves to the success of the game of hockey domestically and abroad,” said Tom Renney, the president and CEO of Hockey Canada.

Past honourees include names like Wayne Gretzky, Gordie Howe, Jean Beliveau and many more Canadian hockey greats. The names of those individuals joining the list will be released early in the new year.

The gala will be followed by a celebrity golf tournament to be held at Glen Arbor Golf Course the next day.

Half of the proceeds from the gala and golf tournament will remain in the Halifax region. The other half will be spread across Canada to support the growth of hockey nationwide.

“The reason why we do this for Hockey Canada is it’s raising money for our youth to get back into hockey and make it more affordable for both boys and girls,” Treliving said.

This is the first time the event will be held in a city that does not have a National Hockey League team to back it.

“This is an exciting day for Halifax,” said Premier Stephen McNeil. “Even including those cities that have a National Hockey Team, they would be hard pressed to find a community in a province that has such a passion for our national game.”

“Every time Halifax is given the opportunity to take the national stage, it sets a standard that is hard to match,” he said. “I am confident that this will happen again in June.”

“Something special happens when hockey is involved. Something special is going to happen next June in Halifax when as a community we have an opportunity to share in the celebration of Canadian hockey excellence, effectively celebrating a big part of the Canadian experience,” Gallivan said.