The Flyers Charity Carnival has been an ongoing staple of the community for the past 44 years. Due to the Coronavirus outbreak the last time the Flyers had their carnival was in February of 2020. Today the hiatus came to an end as the show was on. The Flyers Charity Carnival is not only a way to hang with your favorite players, but all the proceeds from tickets, meet and greets, games, and more going to different charities. This year they are three giving pillars including, supporting local families impacted by cancer, growing the game of hockey to diverse participants, and improvement in sustainability and environmental responsibility. In addition head coach, John Tortorella, who has been working with the SPCA and has a feature on 97.5 The Fanatic called “Hockey & Hounds”, was also in attendance to talk about the significance of adopting dogs.
The First Carnival
Haley Taylor Simon
This was the first carnival for many Flyers players including Wade Allison. He was one of the first players to play an interactive game with fans and told me, “I’m having a lot of fun! I enjoy seeing a lot of smiling faces and energy. I was sent to the games and I’m a big game guy.” Besides games, Flyers charities offer a game day jersey auction, mystery pucks, and food!
Flyers Veteran Carnival Experience
Haley Taylor Simon
James Van Riemsdyk is amongst the few Flyers who previously attended a Flyers Charity Carnival. He does a lot for the community of Philadelphia to make the game of hockey more inclusive alongside Scott Laughton. Van Riemsdyk shared the significance of the carnival to him, “It shows the impact that Flyers fans and the whole organization can have for different charities. Flyers fans are the most passionate in all sports. To see them support a cause like this year in and year out it’s always impressive.”
The Carnival Floor
Haley Taylor Simon
How do you turn a hockey rink into a carnival? Just ask Flyers Charities as they were able to transform the Wells Fargo Center into just that. There were carnival games, shootouts with goalies, a Ferris wheel, a dunk tank, and a live performance by the Flyers Ice Team! It was hockey carnival paradise!
Hockey And Hounds
Haley Taylor Simon
John Tortorella is passionate about rescuing and adopting dogs. Volunteers of the SPCA were in attendance today, and brought dogs showcasing how if you want a furry friend the best way to do so is by adopting. When talking to these selfless volunteers, they explained that the dogs brought to the Carnival loved people and wanted lots of rubs. You can hear Coach John Tortorella’s weekly segment called “Hockey & Hounds” Wednesdays at 3:30p on 97.5 The Fanatic
Play Games Against Flyers Players
Haley Taylor Simon
A lot of games were interactive with current Flyers players. Fans had the option to play the games themselves or have the choice to play against a player. I caught up with Nick Seeler and Felix Sandström in an intense game of cornhole. By far, this is the most passionate round of cornhole I’ve seen. When asked about this intense match Seeler said, “I play this in the summer back home in Minnesota. We call it bags, but its fun competing against the fans. I have not lost yet, but I see some real winners in the crowd.” Unlike Seeler, Sandström was not as victorious, “It’s getting better. I haven’t played it too many times. I only tried it a couple of times last summer, but I got a good warm-up now. Hopefully, I get better.” Sandström was a good sport, as cornhole is not that easy and does take a lot of skill and practice which a lot of Flyers players got today going against the fans.
