‘Fantastically amazing’: Spruce Grove declares Green and Gold day for Edmonton Elks preseason celebrations

Edmonton Elks players interacted with fans at their annual fan day during training camp.

Spruce Grove’s Fuhr Field was a sea of green and gold on Monday, abuzz with the promise of a new season supporting the Edmonton Elks.

Spruce Grove Mayor Jeff Acker proclaimed Monday to be Green and Gold day ahead of the city’s first time hosting the club’s Fan Day in more than a decade.

The Elks and community spent Monday enjoying all the Fan Day staples – food trucks, family activities, mascots and autograph sessions – with the Capital District Minor Football Association, who got a chance to play with their local heroes in a Football Jamboree on the field.

The club chose to hold its pre-season festivities in Spruce Grove to pay homage to its northern Alberta fans.

“The kids are super excited about today, being able to meet some of their stars, and it’s just fantastically amazing,” Acker told CTV News Edmonton on Monday.

Elks quarterback Cody Fajardo said the community event amps everyone up ahead of an ambitious season after a revamped roster on both defensive and offensive lines.

“Some of these kids made me look really talented at quarterback. They’re making some great catches, running some great routes. It’s all just part of the fun. And that green and gold showcase means a lot to the community, means a lot to us players,” he said.

Fans at the event were looking forward to new faces after the team finished at the bottom of the CFL west division last season.

“I think we have a strong showing for this year,” one fan said. “And they’re having the Grey Cup in Calgary this year, so we’ve got to win!”

And the club says it’s ready to take on the challenge after a busy training season.

“We’re focused on trying to get better in camp so that we can hold up our end of the bargain,” said head coach Mark Kilam. “We tried to build on the things that we felt worked well for us.”

A CFL preseason game against the Calgary Stampeders on May 29 will prove to be an indicator of how those preparations are going so far, he added.

The CFL season begins officially on June 4 with the Montreal Alouettes playing against the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. The Elks play their first match on the road against the Ottawa Redblacks on June 6.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Curtis Goodrum