The Olympic Oval is host to eight major recreational public skating events every season, our decades-long Monday Night Toonie Skate, and multiple in-house and major sporting events.
The Olympic Oval is one of Calgary's busiest buildings, with over 550,000 people entering annually. We are a hub for the University of Calgary, varsity athletics, high-performance athletes, speed skating competitions and the number one recreational public skating destination in Calgary. We invite you to explore all of our amazing events on The Fastest Ice in the World™ — come partner with us, come skate with us!
Sport and sport facilities deserves the same societal role as literature, performing arts, sculpture, cinema, and other expressions of human culture, skill, and creativity. Like many arts, sports have rules and expectations that their most creative and memorable practitioners find ways to bend or move in a new direction. Sport may be enjoyed directly—even if you are an amateur—and viewed as a spectator when one wants to watch an expert performance. Sport can especially provide collective joy, civic pride and even elements of transcendence that the finest art aspires to.
The Olympic Oval works tirelessly to provide a dynamic, innovative culture that promotes and celebrates participation and excellence. It is a values-based and principle-driven culture.
The Oval tracks over 550,000 guest attendees, including athletes, spectators, UCalgary staff, faculty, and students. Guests come from all over Alberta, with 54% from Calgary, 25% from bedroom communities, 8% from within the province, 11% from within Canada, and the remaining 2% international.
The Oval's appeal spans generations, with 65% of our Calgary guests located in the NW. The remaining 20% are from the SW, 10% from the NE, and 5% from the SW. Our guest ages are diverse, with 12% under 18, 25% aged 18-24, 15% aged 25-34, 17% aged 35-44, and 17% aged 45-54.
The Oval's attendees are financially stable, with a median household income of $98,000. The education breakdown is also impressive, with 40% holding a University degree, 17% with a college diploma, 25% with a high school diploma, 10% as an apprentice and 8% with certifications, badges or training documentation.
Our social media channels include 3,000 Instagram followers, 3,0000 X followers, 4,000 Facebook followers and 3,500 YouTube subscribers. Our website (oval.ucalgary.ca) tracks over 600,000 page views (an increase of 40% from 2022) and nearly 135,000 new visitors.
Communities are in desperate need of facilities that are easily accessible. Most people don’t think of public skating as fitness, but they see the effects— cognitive improvement, joint and muscle health, weight loss, stress management and mental wellness. As health and well-being become more important, the Oval is working tirelessly to be a place where anyone can come and enjoy the many health benefits of skating and running. Thousands come every year, and we hope to be a place where thousands more can discover skating and running in a welcoming, diverse, inclusive and safe environment. Organizations partnering with the Oval can have positive associations—an effective tool for showcasing the value of an organization and its impact on a community. Furthermore, it increases brand equity, consumer perception, and value. Brand equity directly impacts sales volume and a company’s profitability as consumers gravitate toward products and services with great reputations.
The benefits of sponsoring an event at the Olympic Oval.
The Olympic Oval features seven key recreational public skating events throughout the year. Each event has its own special theme, activation and audience engagement. Find out how you can parnter with our major public skating events.
A staple of the Olympic Oval for over 20 years, the Monday Night Toonie Skate is the Oval's most popular seasonal skating event. We have partnered with RE/MAX, Co-op, and Servus Credit Union in the past. Thousands of guests come to the Oval to skate on Mondays and it is fun for the whole family.
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* Blackout dates include World Cups
Sponsor Activation
The 4th Annual Holiday Market & Skate is our most popular holiday skate. We bring in over 80 vendors—all UCalgary students and UCalgary Alumni businesses showcasing their goods and services for sale during the holiday season. Guests can shop and skate the afternoon away getting all their shopping done before the holiday rush. It's fantastic afternoon to kickstart the holiday season.
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Activation
Family Day is our busiest public skating event with thousands of Calgarians skating on The Fastest Ice in the World™ celebrating the provincial holiday.
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Activation
The Olympic Oval is partnered with a selection of preferred hotels: Alt Hotel, Best Western Village Park Inn, Aloft, and Four Points by Sheraton Hotel and Suites Calgary West. Select a hotel for your preferred OVAL rate.
We have some of the best public events in the city. Our Pride Skate, Oval After Dark and Holiday Market Skates are just some of our recreational public skating events with thousands of guests in attendance.
David Vink
Advisor, Marketing & Parnter Development
