We are excited to announce that the Town of Taber, AB and Play On! Canada have partnered to host a regional street hockey event March 27-28 in support of the community's efforts to rebuild its arena.
Fortunately, no one was injured in December when a propane leak in the Town's zamboni led to an explosion that destroyed the arena and other areas of the community centre. Unfortuantely, the rest of the hockey games scheduled to be held in the Taber arena this season had to be cancelled as the town repairs and rebuilds. All 15 of Taber's minor hockey teams, involving over 250 kids, have been affected.
In early January, the town applied to Kraft Hockeyville in hopes of winning the $250,000 awarded by Kraft to the winning community.
On Jan 26, Taber Town Council also decided to host Canada's largest street hockey tournament to help mobilize even more community enthusiasm, to celebrate Canada's favourite pastime, to help promote community health and wellness, and to fundraise for the arena.
Play On! holds the Guinness World Record as the largest street hockey festival in the world. It uses recreational and competitive street sports festivals (street hockey or - NEW IN 2026 - street soccer) as a means to raise funds for causes that entire communities care about. Play On! Canada owns twenty custom street rinks that are uniquely designed to offer the most professional street hockey or street soccer experience any community can offer. The rinks can be set up indoors or outdoors, in a parking lot or even on a street, since the rinks have zamboni-like doors on the end of each rink that can be opened or closed when needed to allow emergency vehicles through.
Play On! also provides customized registration and fundraising technology, 53ft trailers/offices, stages, tents, sound equipment, systems, procedures, rules and regulations to make it possible for any community to deliver these events with relative ease.
Any person of any gender, age, or skill level should be confident knowing they are able and invited to regsiter to play in a Play On! street festival. The events are operated by the youth of Canada, for the youth of Canada, with support provided by the Federal Government's Canada Summer Jobs program. One of the most magical aspects of a Play On! community event happens when youth and their parents play on different teams in the same event, affording each the opportunity to watch the other play Canada's favourite pastime.
While all are invited to participate in Play On! in Taber, there is limited space available. All registration fees and all donations raised by this event will go 100% towards the new Taber arena.
Registration opens February 9 at www.playon.ca. Parents can create an account to register their children; while teenagers and adults can register themselves. All then use the simple technology tools provided to invite their friends to join their teams and to invite extended family and friends to donate to support their team and the new arena.
Up to ten celebrities will participate in Play On! Taber as guest players or guest coaches. The team that raises the most money for the new arena will be awarded first pick in a draft of these celebrities, who can either join to play or who will coach the team. Each of the top ten fundraising teams will receive a draft pick and spend the day with their selected celebrity. Names of celebrities who will participate will be announced in the weeks ahead.
Following the completion of the event, a concert will be held featuring the RoadHammers and their friends. Tickets for the concert are available separately.
We look forward to celebrating Canada's favourite pastime while raising funds for the new Taber Arena March 27-28.
Play On! - Building Canada One Game At A Time.
Event times:
- Friday, March 27, 2026: 4-8pm
- Saturday, March 28, 2026: 8am-5pm
Whether you can participate, attend, or help spread the word, every bit of support helps Taber take the next steps toward rebuilding.