Playoff-bound Jets means the return of the Winnipeg Whiteout

The league-leading Winnipeg Jets are playoff-bound once again, and with post-season hockey in Winnipeg comes the return of a tradition — the Winnipeg Whiteout.

The large-scale street parties are coming back next month, with the hockey club set to welcome thousands of fans into the city’s downtown for the celebration of all things Jets.

This year’s event — which raises funds for United Way Winnipeg, to be reinvested into the community via local organizations — is being put together by the team’s owners, True North Sports + Entertainment, alongside the city, the province, and Economic Development Winnipeg.

“Our fans created the Whiteout, evolved it to the phenomenon it is today and continue to be the essence of the Winnipeg Jets’ playoff celebrations,” said True North executive Kevin Donnelly.

“The Whiteout Street Parties are more than just a celebration of our team, they are a celebration of our fans and their desire to share their excitement and passion for our team in a community setting.”

The street parties will be held pre-game and post-game for each of the Jets’ home playoff appearances, taking over an area of Donald Street adjacent to the team’s arena, stretching from Portage Avenue to, fittingly, Honourary Dale Hawerchuk Way.

Half the price of each $10 ticket goes back into local organizations, via United Way Winnipeg, including those taking on social issues like homelessness and addiction, to a total of more than $312,000 raised at previous street parties to date.

The province announced Tuesday that it intends to spend up to $300,000 to support the events, with Premier Wab Kinew saying in a statement that he hopes the team will have a long playoff run.

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“Not only do Whiteout Parties benefit downtown businesses and raise money for housing and mental health supports, they’re a fantastic way to come together as a community,” Kinew said.

“Whiteout Street Parties are a great, affordable way to experience the atmosphere of playoff hockey.”

For more details about the events and ticket information, visit the Whiteout page on the Jets’ website.

As of Tuesday, the club had clinched a playoff spot and was sitting at the top of the standings in the Central Division, Western Conference, and the entire National Hockey League.