After a one-year absence, Squamish Soccerfest is back on April 18 and 19.
And teams from all over the Pacific Northwest haven’t forgotten about the 34th edition of the annual celebration of soccer in Squamish.
Last year saw the event cancelled for the first time in its history due to Soccerfest falling on the same weekend as Easter and a number of youth tournaments also occurring that weekend.
It’s full steam ahead for 2015 and Soccerfest representative Dave Harrison said the early response has been positive.
“Our last meeting we were 10 days into planning and we already had 18 teams signed up,” he said, noting the meeting occurred earlier this month. “We’re on track for another full tournament.”
Soccerfest regularly maxes out with a total of 36 men’s and 36 women’s teams of all levels from all over the province descending onto Squamish. Divisions are split up into men’s open, men’s over 30, men’s over 40, women’s open, women’s over 30 and women’s over 30 recreational.
Harrison said there should be a lot of local flavour in this year’s tournament, with Squamish FC confirmed for the men’s open division and the Ellis Moving Eagles from the Howe Sound Men’s Soccer League in the men’s over 30. He said a number of other teams from the HSMSL, Whistler and local women’s leagues should be representing the Sea to Sky Corridor.
He added that teams from the Interior, Vancouver Island and Sechelt have already all signed up and he expects more.
The event takes over Brennan Park and its surrounding fields for the two-day event, with the fields filled with players from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on both days. As in previous years, there will be beer gardens, plenty of food options and an awards ceremony at the event’s conclusion.
“It’s always a lot of fun and it’s a great time for everyone to watch some great soccer,” he said.
There are still spots available for interested teams to register and the deadline to sign up is March 31. For more information on the event, visit www.squamishsoccerassociation.com/pages/soccerfest-tournament.php.
