Kelowna to host B.C. Summer Games in 2026

Kelowna has been selected to host the B.C. Summer Games.

They will be held July 23-26, 2026  and are expected to draw close to 4,000 athletes and coaches, Mayor Colin Basran said during a press conference today, July 28.

“This announcement comes just at the right time as we emerge from the pandemic,” he said.

The games are expected to have a $2 million economic impact on the community, in direct and indirect spending, Lisanne Ballantyne, president and CEO of Tourism Kelowna said. It will also mean many of those coming to the games are likely to return as tourists and even residents in the future.

The city has committed $115,000 in cash and in-kind support for the games that generally leave some legacies, Jim Gabriel, director of active living and culture for the city said.

Kelowna previously hosted in 1980, 1994 and 2008. The score clock at the city’s artificial turf field at Mission Recreational Park was part of the 2008 legacy along with education programs for coaches and athletes.

No new facilities will be built specifically for the Summer Games but there may be new sports fields developed by that time, he said.

The games will feature up-and-coming athletes in 18 sports and need about 3,000 volunteers.

The efforts to prepare for the games will start ramping up in 2024.

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