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Tuning into the IIHF World Junior Championship in the liminal days between Boxing Day and the early days of the new year is a Canadian rite of passage. It’s an opportunity to gather together to watch the next generation of emerging hockey superstars and cheer for our winter national pastime.
In 2023, Halifax hockey fans had the opportunity to watch the action live as the city, alongside Moncton, New Brunswick, welcomed the world as the host cities for the elite hockey tournament.
The tournament was held at the Scotiabank Centre in the heart of downtown Halifax. With an average attendance of over 7,000 spectators per game, the 21 games hosted in Halifax drew enthusiastic hockey fans, with most Team Canada games played in front of sold-out crowds.
And the fun wasn’t just limited to the Scotiabank Centre. Halifax knows how to show up when there’s a big event in town, and the 2023 World Juniors were no exception.
Fan Fest
At the nearby Halifax Convention Centre, the Fan Fest kept the good times rolling in between puck drops with family-friendly celebrations. Festivities included inflatables and games, Discovery Centre science fun, special appearances from the Halifax Mooseheads and the Halifax Thunderbirds, and live viewings of games for those who weren’t able to snag a ticket.
The Fan Fest also hosted several special and musical guests over the duration of the tournament. This included appearances from both the men’s and women’s national hockey teams, and a daily line-up of some of the city’s favourite sports mascots.
Nightly musical performances included sets from George Woodhouse and the Public Service, Kelsey Albert, Sluice, Plywood Joe, Farewell Town, Charlie A’Court, Willie Stratton, and, on gold-medal game night, The Town Heroes.
The Fest also hosted the “Heave Away” Gold Medal Game Watch Party at Roger’s Square in the heart of downtown Halifax, complete with live DJ and plenty of team spirit.
Pubs, Bars, and Restaurants
For fans looking for a cold pint and a hot meal while enjoying the game, several downtown pubs, bars, and restaurants took over hosting duties. Regardless of what colour jersey you were wearing and who you were cheering for, the entire downtown core had an electric and lively energy that extended beyond the Scotiabank Centre. Event organizers estimate the IIHF World Juniors resulted in a direct economic impact of close to $1.2 million for food and beverage establishments alone.
Bringing Home the Gold
Every team dreams of playing for the gold medal in front of a hometown crowd. And in 2023, Team Canada made their dream come true. In front of a sold-out capacity crowd at the Scotiabank Centre, Team Canada faced Czechia (Czech Republic) for a winner-takes-all battle to close out the tournament.
Canada led 1-0 after the first period, upping their lead to 2-0 in the second period. But Czechia fought back in the third, scoring two goals to make it a tied game, and sending the showdown into overtime. In the end, Dylan Guenther from Team Canada scored the winning goal, bringing Team Canada its 20th gold medal in tournament history.
In total, the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship resulted in approximately 7,500 hotel room bookings and an estimated $15M in total economic impact for downtown Halifax businesses during the usually quiet post-holiday season. An estimated 150,000 people attended 21 games across the tournament, including an estimated ~3,000 out-of-town visitors. And the best part? Hometown fans got to watch Team Canada take home the gold.
