History of
the Grey Cup
The Grey Cup serves as both the namesake of the annual Canadian Football League championship and the name of the iconic trophy awarded to the victorious team.
The trophy is named after Albert Grey, the Governor General of Canada from 1904 until 1911. Grey donated the trophy to the Canadian Rugby Union in 1909 to recognize the top amateur rugby football team in Canada. First awarded in 1909, there have since been 110 Grey Cup championship games, although there was no Grey Cup game from 1916 to 1919 or 2020.
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History of the
grey cup festival
The Grey Cup Festival began in 1948 when Calgary Stampeders fans traveled to Toronto for their team’s first-ever Grey Cup appearance, bringing with them iconic Calgary staples such as chuckwagons, horses, and pancakes. The festivities extended beyond the game into the evening with notable antics, including Calgary Alderman Don Mackay riding a horse through the Royal York Hotel lobby and goalposts being erected on the railings of the hotel's mezzanine. This spirited celebration set the stage for the Grey Cup Festival, which today continues with parades, parties, and pancake breakfasts, preserving the jubilant atmosphere of its inaugural event.