Detroit Lions launch Ontario watch party tour, food donation campaign

Brad Erskine and Leslie Ducharme pose for a photo at the Detroit Lions Tailgate Party outside Canada Life Place in London, Ont. on Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025. (Brent Lale/CTV News London)

The Detroit Lions are expanding their presence in Canada with a series of Ontario watch parties and a community fundraising campaign aimed at supporting local food access initiatives.

The NFL club announced the launch of its Raise the Roar Canadian Bar Tour and Raise the Roar for the Community initiative, which will bring official Lions watch parties to Windsor, London and Kitchener during the 2025 season.

The tour will begin Sept. 13 at Factory House in Windsor for the Lions’ season opener against the New Orleans Saints. Additional stops include The Canadian Brewhouse in London on Oct. 11 for a game against the Arizona Cardinals, The Canadian Brewhouse in Kitchener on Nov. 15 for a matchup with the New England Patriots and a return to Factory House in Windsor on Nov. 26 for the club’s annual Thanksgiving Day game against the Chicago Bears.

The Lions said fans attending the events can expect giveaways, photo opportunities, interactive activities and tailgate-style games. The team will also bring its branded claw machine, offering attendees a chance to win team prizes.

The watch party series is tied to the club’s Raise the Roar for the Community campaign, which will collect non-perishable food donations to support food access programs in Windsor, London and Kitchener.

Donations will be accepted at all four watch-party events beginning Sept. 13 and continuing through Canadian Thanksgiving before concluding on the Lions’ Thanksgiving Day game in November. Fans who donate qualifying food items will receive entries into a sweepstakes for a chance to win Detroit Lions prizes.

The initiatives are part of the Lions’ efforts to grow their fan base in Canada through the NFL’s Global Markets Program.

Raise the Roar Canadian Bar Tour schedule:

• Sept. 13: New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions, Factory House, Windsor (doors open 11 a.m.)

• Oct. 11: Arizona Cardinals at Detroit Lions, The Canadian Brewhouse, London (doors open 2:25 p.m.)

• Nov. 15: New England Patriots at Detroit Lions, The Canadian Brewhouse, Kitchener (doors open 8 a.m.)

• Nov. 26: Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions, Factory House, Windsor (doors open 11 a.m.)

The team was granted marketing rights in Canada in April 2024 and hosted its first Canadian watch party at Canada Life Place in London, Ont., when the Lions faced the Chicago Bears on Dec. 22, 2024.