50,000 people expected as unique festival returns to Mississauga

A unique festival that made its first stop in Mississauga last year returns this summer and organizers expect 50,000 people — double the anticipated 2024 attendance — to visit the three-day event.

The Jackalope Action Sports Festival, a Montreal-based exhibition of skateboarding, bouldering (rock climbing), breaking (breakdancing) and more that tours North America throughout the year, will be in downtown Mississauga at Celebration Square July 11-13.

It’s the second installment of a planned three-year run in Canada’s seventh-largest city, according to City of Mississauga officials.

The festival kicks off on the Friday night (July 11) with activities planned from 5 to 11 p.m. Hours are 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. on the Saturday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on the Sunday.

In a request to the city for a special occasion permit, Jackalope organizers noted they expect 50,000 people to attend the three-day festival.

They say the event, happening in collaboration with Visit Mississauga, the city’s tourism arm, promises once again to be an exciting demonstration of sports.

The three-day visit to the city in summer 2024 marked the event’s first-ever appearance in Ontario.

Festival organizers and city officials struck a deal last year to stage Jackalope for three years in Mississauga, the third and final visit under that agreement slated for 2026.

A crooked grind, boardslide, brain bucket and double set are just a few terms visitors to the festival might use and hear over the three days. You can add to that list an alley-oop, goofy-foot, 180, 360 and 720 as well as an air walk — and those bits of action sports lingo are just a few you’ll find at the top of the alphabet. There are many more.

Organizers promise festival visitors will be treated to a free adrenaline fix as they take in a packed program featuring skateboarding (both street and vert ramp), breaking, bouldering and freestyle motocross.

Live entertainment, food trucks and a pop-up marketplace are also part of the festival.

By Declan Finucane, insauga