Join the Oregon Sports Authority’s Winter Celebration at the Square

The Oregon Sports Authority is pleased to announce “Winter Celebration at the Square,” a free public viewing event of the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games Opening Ceremony at Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square on Friday, February 12. The spirit of the Olympics will extend from one Northwest city to another as Pioneer Square is transformed into the ultimate living room setting for winter sports enthusiasts, complete with two giant LCD screens, interviews with Oregon Olympians, live music, warm drinks and a hockey goal-scoring challenge.

Local Olympic programming on KGW NewsChannel 8 will begin at 5:00 p.m. on the big screens at Pioneer Square, followed by a live event program from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., featuring introductions of Oregon Olympians and Paralympians, and several exciting prize giveaways. NBC’s broadcast of the Vancouver 2010 Opening Ceremony will begin at approximately 9:00 p.m.

The Oregon Sports Authority invites the public to join in the festivities leading up to the celebration by entering for a chance to win a trip to see the Winter Olympics Closing Ceremony at kgw.com. The winner will be announced at Pioneer Square on the evening of February 12.

“Given our proximity to Vancouver, B.C., we decided to provide Oregonians with the opportunity to come together and celebrate the Olympic Games being in this part of the world,” said Oregon Sports Authority CEO Drew Mahalic. “The Olympics are the absolute pinnacle of sport and the Opening Ceremony is always a magical night so we hope people enjoy the chance to come downtown and share in the experience together.”

Nearly four years ago, the Oregon Sports Authority hosted a very successful World Cup Soccer public viewing event at Pioneer Square. Well over 10,000 fans came to watch the semifinals and final, jamming Pioneer Square and electrifying downtown Portland. The Oregon Sports Authority is pleased to once again provide the chance for people to come together and witness one of the world’s greatest sports spectacles.