Organizing 15 sports venues across four rural communities is no small task.
But figuring out how to feed nearly 1,000 hungry teenage athletes, along with their coaches and officials, after a full day of competition?
That’s an entirely different ballgame.
By 3 p.m. Friday, the operation was already underway outside the Trail Memorial Centre in the Cominco parking lot.
Volunteers were in position, grills were heating up and the scent of barbecue was starting to drift through the air.
By 5 p.m., they were ready.
Feeding approximately 1,350 Trail-Rossland BC Winter Games guests — including 974 athletes — takes planning, precision and a small army of volunteers.
Fortunately, this is a crew that has raised funds and fed crowds for years, and they brought that well-honed rhythm to the Games.
First stop on the food tour: the outdoor grills, where volunteers from the Trail Legion were flipping an estimated 1,700 burgers.
They weren’t hard to find.
The distinct aroma of barbecue drifting through the parking lot pointed the way.
Then, inside the iconic Trail Memorial Centre — home to the Cominco Arena and the Trail Smoke Eaters — the scene shifted from food prep to full-on Friday night energy.
Up the stairs and into the arena, the floor had been transformed into a games and activity zone.
Play stations were set up to help athletes unwind after competition, along with space to connect with teammates from across the province.
Just beyond that sat a long merchandise table piled high with Games apparel.
T-shirts, long-sleeved shirts, tank tops, hoodies, leggings, hats and bandanas in just about every colour imaginable.
Guests could choose their garment, pick from 96 different logo designs and have their selection printed on site before heading back into the crowd.
From there, guests moved up a few steps to the red floor, surrounded by a gallery of Trail’s finest sports memorabilia.
In the centre, long banquet tables were set up where burgers were dressed and plates loaded with vegetables and dip before being carried into the Cominco gym.
The gym can seat up to 400 diners at a time, so as buses arrived loaded with athletes, waves of hungry competitors rotated through the system with surprising efficiency.
It’s a carefully choreographed operation — part catering, part crowd management — and one that reflects the scale of the Games themselves.
More than 1,450 local volunteers are supporting the Trail-Rossland 2026 BC Winter Games, helping ensure that when competition ends for the day, athletes can refuel, relax and enjoy the experience.