Maple Ridge hosts two-day rally party for Kraft Hockevyille contest

With public voting for the Kraft Hockeyville contest less than 24 hours away, the Ridge Meadows Minor Hockey Association (RMMHA) has released its plan for a two-day rally party in Maple Ridge.

READ MORE: Maple Ridge arena named finalist in Kraft Hockeyville contest

Starting at 6 a.m. on Friday, March 31, fans will be able to submit votes for the Planet Ice arena in Maple Ridge, with the first of the local festivities starting an hour later at 7 a.m.

The “honk if you love Hockeyville” campaign will run from 7 to 9 a.m. throughout the city, with various schools hosting pep rallies for students from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The rally party officially kicks off at Planet Ice at 2:30 p.m., lasting until 9 p.m. and will include various food trucks, public skating and hockey events, and entertainment provided by Peter Tam and Tyson McLellan.

Sabriena Eyford, U7 division manager for RMMHA, explained that all of the public skating and hockey games are completely free, including rentals.

However, people will need to sign up for them beforehand by filling out the forms on the Maple Ridge Kraft Hockeyville Facebook page.

RELATED: Maple Ridge players join Vancouver Canucks for national anthem at March 31 game

The next day, things start back up at Planet Ice again at 7 a.m., with De Dutch providing a pannekoek dutch pancake breakfast with a minimum donation of $5 per person, which will go to the RMMHA bursary fund.

After the breakfast wraps up at 10 a.m., Maple Ridge singer Graham Strang will take the stage to provide some entertainment until 11:30 a.m. He will also perform again later from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

In between Strang’s performances, Steve Halfnights will serenade the crowd from noon to 1 p.m.

The Abbotsford Canucks hype team will also be present to help facilitate activities, including the fastest voter showdown, which Eyford explained is solely for bragging rights.

“The Abbotsford Canucks hype team will gather everyone together and encourage voters to grab a partner, a timer will be set and the voting showdown will start,” said Eyford.

“Once the time buzzer goes off, the partner with the most votes in that round steps forward and takes on a new challenger. We will repeat this process until there are just two voters left standing. With one final winner being named Maple Ridge’s fastest voter.”

Saturday will also feature several skills competitions for Ridge Meadows Rustlers and Meadow Ridge Barracudas players.

After voting ends for Kraft Hockeyville at 2 p.m. on Saturday, a watch party will be hosted at Planet Ice at 4:30 p.m. to see the winning arena announced.

Here is a full schedule of the Hockeyville rally party events:

Friday

• Honk if you love Hockeyville (7 to 9 a.m.)

• School pep rallies (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

• Tyson McLellan on stage (2:30 to 4:30 p.m.)

• Free public skate (2:30 to 5:30 p.m.)

• Agri Mexican Cantina food truck (2:30 to 8:30 p.m.)

• Papa’s Frybread samples (3 to 4 p.m.)

• Free public skate (4 to 5 p.m.)

• Peter Tam on stage (5 to 6:30 p.m.)

• 13 and younger stick and puck game (5:15 to 6 p.m.)

• 14 and older stick and puck game (6 to 6:45 p.m.)

• All ages pond hockey (7 to 8 p.m.)

Saturday

• De Dutch breakfast (7 to 10 a.m.)

• Free public skate (8 to 10:45 a.m.)

• Maple Ridge Fire Department charity hot dog barbecue and truck tours (10 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

• Agri Mexican Cantina food truck (10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

• Graham Strang on stage (10 to 11:30 a.m.)

• U11 and U13 Rustlers and Barracudas skills competition (11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.)

• Abbotsford Canucks hype team (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.)

• 30-minute fitness session (11:30 a.m. to noon)

• Steve Halfnights on stage (noon to 1 p.m.)

• U15 and U18 division Rustlers and Barracudas skills competition (12:30 to 1:30 p.m.)

• Planet Ice pub opens (12:30 p.m.)

• 30-minute fitness session (12:30 to 1 p.m.)

• Fastest voter showdown (1 to 2 p.m.)

• Graham Strang on stage (1 to 2:30 p.m.)

• Door prize draws (1 p.m.)

• 30-minute fitness session (1:30 to 2 p.m.)

• H division Rustlers and Barracudas skills competition (1:45 to 3 p.m.)

• Watch party (4:30 p.m.)

• Ridge Meadows Flames play game six of PJHL championship (7:30 p.m.)

RELATED: Vancouver Canucks mascot helps make killer contest video for Maple Ridge arena

More information can be found by visiting the official Maple Ridge Kraft Hockeyville Facebook group.