KALAMAZOO TO HOST HOCKEY'S FIRST "RAINBOW ICE GAME"

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

October 5, 2021

KALAMAZOO TO HOST HOCKEY’S FIRST “RAINBOW ICE GAME”

K-Wings, known for colored ice traditions, will make history January 7 when the team hosts Toledo for annual Hockey is for Everyone game.

KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Wings will become the first professional hockey team to host a game on rainbow-colored ice, the team announced at its annual preseason press conference Tuesday at Wings Event Center.

As part of their annual Hockey is for Everyone event on January 7, the K-Wings and Toledo Walleye will play a regular season game on Rainbow Ice, starting at 7:00 p.m.

“The Kalamazoo Wings are proud to be the first team ever in professional hockey to paint the ice the colors of the rainbow,” said K-Wings General Manager Toni Will. “We are looking forward to being able to shine a light on creating an environment of togetherness no matter the race, national origin, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status.”

Kalamazoo has become known for its colored ice traditions, starting with hockey’s first Green Ice game, a St. Patrick’s Day tradition that began in 1982. Since, the team has added longtime staples Orange Ice (Halloween) and Pink Ice (Breast Cancer Awareness) to the promotional calendar.

In past years, the K-Wings have experimented with Blue Ice, Yellow Ice, and for the first time in 2019, Lavender Ice for Hockey Fights Cancer. Rainbow Ice accomplishes a never-before-seen playing surface.

“We are passionate about supporting diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives such as Hockey is for Everyone,” said Will. “In partnership with the NHL we believe we can drive positive social change and create more inclusive communities.”

Kalamazoo will play five home games on their world-famous colored ice during the 2021-22 season, including Orange Ice (Oct. 30), Lavender Ice/Hockey Fights Cancer (Nov. 27), Rainbow Ice (Jan. 7), Pink Ice (Feb. 11), and Green Ice (Mar. 18).

See Full 2021-22 Promotional Schedule HERE

Individual tickets for all 36 home games are now available the Wings Event Center ticket office and online. The ticket office is open on Tuesdays from Noon-6:00 p.m. and Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from Noon-4:00 p.m., and will be open

The K-Wings will host an exhibition game against the Toledo Walleye at 7:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 15 at Wings Event Center. Season Ticket Holders can attend the game for free and pick up their 2021-22 packet at the game, while all other fans can attend for just $5. The following night, Saturday, Oct. 16, the same two teams will play one more exhibition game at 7:15 p.m. in Toledo, Ohio at Huntington Center.

The 47th Kalamazoo Wings Home Opener is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 23 against the Toledo Walleye at 7:00 p.m. at Wings Event Center. The team’s annual Fan Fest will start at 4:30 p.m. inside Door 7 before the game and will feature live music, a bounce house, a player red carpet, axe throwing and a Smash Car, where a small cash donation will give fans the opportunity to smash a car with a sledgehammer.

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The Kalamazoo Wings are a professional hockey team located in southwest Michigan that has been a staple in the Kalamazoo, MI professional sports landscape since 1974. The K-Wings compete in the ECHL and are the AA affiliate of the National Hockey League’s Columbus Blue Jackets and American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters. Kalamazoo plays their 36 regular season home games at Wings Event Center from October through April.

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