First Kalamalka Bowl held in August 2022 between the UBC Thunderbirds and the University of Calgary Dinos drew several thousand spectators at the Greater Vernon Athletics Park. (Liam Verster/ Vernon Matters photo)

By Pete McIntyre

No game in 2024

Kalamalka Bowl football game scrapped for 2024

Apr 18, 2024 | 12:20 PM

The Kal Tire Kalamalka Bowl at the Greater Vernon Athletics Field will not be held for a second straight year.

The society that organizes the exhibition college football game announced Thursday that “due to the inability to schedule an opponent for the University of British Columbia Thunderbirds team,” this year’s game has been cancelled.

“A huge thank you to our community and local sponsors – especially Kal Tire – for the ongoing support of the Kalamalka Bowl,” Sean Smith, president of the Kalamalka Bowl Society, said.

The first Kal Bowl was held in August 2022 and was a huge success, but the one in 2023 was scrapped due to the impact of wildfires and smoke.

“There is clearly an appetite for this type of event in Vernon,” Smith remarked. “It is unfortunate that after the sudden cancellation of the 2023 game due to Okanagan wildfires and now due to scheduling issues in the Canada West University Football league, we are unable to offer this great event two years in a row.”

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Smith said the society will work with both the UBC football team and Canada West University Football to resolve any scheduling issues and begin planning for a game in 2025.

The society said it appreciates the strong show of support and commitment to the event by UBC’s football team, and in particular, their head coach Blake Nill.

“Blake understands that the Kal Tire Kalamalka Bowl is more than just a football game,” the society said.

The organizers say the two-day event is designed to:

1. Provide for learning/training opportunities for local youth who participate in the youth skills camp.

2. Provide for additional team building and personal growth through participation in Huddle in the Park where the teams compete against one another in games and challenges and through the ‘Breakfast with Angus’ where international speaker and best selling author Angus Reid speaks to the teams over breakfast the day of the football game.

3. Promote the great game of football throughout the region.

4. Promote the Okanagan as a destination for sporting events.