That Eric Alper

Canadian music icons will be going head to head with NHL legends at the 2018 JUNO Cup at 7:30 p.m. PT on Friday, March 23 at Bill Copeland Sports Centre, in Burnaby, BC, in support of MusiCounts.

Held annually during JUNO Week, this celebrity hockey game has raised $840,000 for MusiCounts over the last 14 years. MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with CARAS, is keeping music alive in schools and communities across Canada and puts instruments in the hands of kids who need them through several programs and music education initiatives.

“The JUNO Cup is great for all the right reasons – it combines music, hockey, and a great charity in MusiCounts who give much needed instruments to schools across Canada,” said Jim Cuddy. “The camaraderie between the musicians and the NHL Greats is evident both on and off the ice. And the fans in the stands cheering us on makes everyone feel energized and excited to play. I am looking forward to this year’s game and celebrating the JUNOs in beautiful Vancouver with all of these great players.”

Former NHL legends confirmed to participate include:
Cliff Ronning (Vancouver Canucks), Dave Babych (Vancouver Canucks), Jyrki Lumme (Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs), Kirk McLean (Vancouver Canucks), Brad Dalgarno (New York Islanders) and Troy Crowder (New Jersey Devils, LA Kings, Vancouver Canucks). More players will be announced in the coming weeks.

Musical greats confirmed to hit the ice include:
Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo), Dallas Smith, Chad Brownlee, Craig Northey (Odds), Devin Cuddy and Grant Lawrence (The Smugglers, CBC Music) – with many more to be announced.

Individual tickets to JUNO Cup are priced at $20 (plus fees). Tickets are available online through Ticketmaster.ca. $15 tickets (plus fees) are available when purchasing 10 or more, with all proceeds benefiting MusiCounts.

The 47th annual JUNO Awards and JUNO Week 2018 will be hosted in Vancouver from March 19 through March 25, 2018, culminating in The JUNO Awards at Rogers Arena, broadcast live on CBC and live streamed on CBCMusic.ca. on Sunday, March 25.

The JUNO Awards will be heading to Southwestern Ontario as The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced today that London will host The 2019 JUNO Awards along with all JUNO Week festivities, March 11 – March 17, 2019. The 48th Annual JUNO Awards will be broadcast live on CBC from Budweiser Gardens, on Sunday March 17, 2019.

JUNO Week 2019 will return to Ontario with the support of the Province of Ontario, the City of London, Tourism London, and the 2019 Host Committee. London will host Canada’s music awards for the first time since the award show began touring across Canada in 2002.

In support of the 2019 celebrations, the City of London has also announced that beginning January 29, key music venues in the city will donate one dollar from every ticket sold to MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity associated with CARAS. Venues participating include London Music Hall, Budweiser Gardens and Centennial Hall.

“We are thrilled to host the 2019 JUNO Week celebrations here in London. As one of Canada’s emerging cultural scenes we are excited to show the world how culturally rich and diverse London is,” said Chris Campbell, Director of Culture & Entertainment Tourism. “The JUNO Awards is London’s opportunity to bring artists and music fans to our great city to showcase our hospitality and our growing music scene and we could not be happier to be the 2019 Host City.”

“We’re excited to be bringing the 2019 JUNOS to London. This city has seen incredible growth with its music scene and as such, is the perfect platform to celebrate Canadian talent,” said Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards and MusiCounts. “We want to thank the Government of Ontario for their support in bringing the JUNOS back to Ontario. We look forward to supporting and showcasing the city’s diverse music scene.”

“Ontario is a key music hub in Canada and North America,” said Daiene Vernile, Ontario’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “Our vibrant culture is driven by our exceptional talent and diversity, making Ontario a great fit for hosting the JUNO Awards in 2019. We have a thriving music industry that makes a significant contribution to Ontario’s economy by creating jobs, generating sales and building the province’s profile at an international level. I am thrilled to welcome the JUNOS to London.”

With strong music heritage, London is home to several well respected Canadian artists including one of the first inductees into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, the late Guy Lombardo and JUNO Award winning producer Jack Richardson for whom the Jack Richardson Producer of the Year JUNO Award was named after. The city has become a budding cultural epicentre, and is home to tourist destinations such as Museum London, which includes over 5,000 works of art and 45,000 artifacts, Grand Theatre, Thames Valley Trail, a paved trail through a number of London’s incredible parks, and a number of other enticing activities. London is becoming a hub for expression, innovation, and creativity.

Since the JUNO Awards started taking the show on the road, each host city has seen an average impact of $10 million. To date, the JUNO Awards have created a total impact of over $120 million while travelling.
The JUNO Awards have travelled coast to coast across Canada starting in St. John’s in 2002 (and again in 2010), followed by Ottawa (2003, 2012 and 2017), Edmonton (2004), Winnipeg (2005 and 2014), Halifax (2006), Saskatoon (2007), Calgary (2008 and 2016), Vancouver (2009 and 2018), Toronto (2011), Regina (2013), and Hamilton (2015).