Ottawa Redblacks Fan Fest takes place Saturday in Kingston, Ont.

Ottawa Redblacks fans at Fan Fest in Kingston, Ont. on Saturday, May 17, 2025. (Jack Richardson/CTV News Ottawa)

The Ottawa Redblacks are hosting their annual Fan Fest Saturday from Queen’s University’s Richardson Stadium in Kingston, Ont.

The team will play an intrasquad scrimmage in front of the fans as a unique edition of training camp continues.

The Redblacks opened training camp on May 11, giving their fans outside of Ottawa a chance to see their favourite players up close.

Officials say that while Ottawa will always be home, being the least tenured team in the Canadian Football League (CFL) means reaching out to other areas of the region is essential to grow the fan base.

“It’s nice to see the support across the CFL within eastern Ontario,” said Marc St. Pierre, community relations manager for the Ottawa Sports and Entertainment Group (OSEG).

Kingston is about 200 kilmoetres southwest of Ottawa, making the Redblacks the closest CFL team for the city’s football fans.

“For us too, it’s the outreach strategy beyond just the Ottawa area. We have such a large geographic (region) in eastern Ontario and even into Quebec, so we’re excited to be down here,” St. Pierre said.

Fan Fest is free for all fans to attend until 4:00 p.m. Team merchandise is available for purchase, along with photo opportunities with Redblacks mascot Big Joe.

The event is not limited to Kingston football fans.

Ottawa resident Bruce Rosewarne has been a season ticket holder for either iteration of Ottawa’s football team since 1976. He traveled to Kingston with his partner Kristin Maxwell for Fan Fest to gear up for another season.

“We’re super fans of the team so it’s nice that they’ve got a facility here, and it’s great to see the turnout,” said Maxwell.

Training camp in Kingston is a homecoming for Redblacks player and Kingston native Lewis Ward.

The kicker says he doesn’t take this unique opportunity for granted.

“It’s pretty special,” he said.

“You see some other people as well that you’ve seen in the past that you haven’t seen in a long time. To have them come and see some professional football in their hometown is definitely a good experience for everyone.”

Fans are also eager to get a look at a local professional athlete.

“It’s very cool. I mean, my whole family. We’re Ward fans,” said Kingston resident Danielle Marliam in her #10 Ward jersey.