The Ontario Winter Games are taking place in the South Georgian Bay area this weekend, from Thursday, March 8 to Sunday, March 11. Some 2,200 young athletes from around Ontario, participating in 23 different sports, will come together in a multi-sport event that has been the stepping stone for our national, international and olympic athletes in the past.

Clearview Township will host the Biathlon at Duntroon Highlands Nordic and Ringette at the Creemore Arena.

Creemore will host 105 Ringette athletes, 35 coaches and officials and an equally large contigent of family and friends over the four days of the competition.

Three Creemore groups have assembled 30 volunteers to ensure visitors feel welcomed and enjoy their stay during the competition. The Legion will be serving lunch to the athletes each day and providing a hospitality/rest area for them. Ray’s Place will be acting as Creemore’s youth and adult ambassadors and the BIA will provide an information and tour guide service to visitors.

The Ringette events started on Thursday and will continue on Friday, from 9 am to 7 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 7 pm and Sunday from 9 am to 3 pm. The Biathlon event started on Thursday and continues on Friday from 10:30 am to 2:15 pm.

Single-event passes are $10 and Ontario Winter Game all-access passes are $25. In addition, the Ontario Ringette Association is running a food drive at the Creemore arena, benefiting St. Luke’s Deacon’s Pantry and the Clearview Stayner Food Bank.

For more about the Games, visit ontariowintergames.com.