With the Invictus Games around the corner, organizers have shared details on how the Opening Ceremonies are coming together with three headliners revealed.
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, B.C.’s own Nelly Furtado and Quebec musician Roxane Bruneau will headline what organizers described as a “cast of hundreds” in the Opening Ceremonies to be held on Feb. 8 next year.
“We’re really excited to be able to share the three headliners that are the first of many,” said chief operating officer of the 2025 Invictus Games, Robyn McVicker, adding there will be more headliners and more detail on both the opening and closing ceremonies to come in the weeks ahead.
The Opening Ceremony will be held at Vancouver's BC Place.
In an interview with Pique, McVicker said the headliners were about bringing the community together and getting everyone excited about the games to come, and also choosing artistic talent that complemented the spirit of the games.
“Noah Kahan is an amazing artist … One of the things we think is really amazing about Noah is how forward he is about his own recovery journey as it relates to mental health," she said. "He really connects with our competitors, especially those that are struggling with PTSD and are really coming through this on their own—so we really appreciate what he’s doing with his own charity and everything.”
Nelly Furtado likewise received praise for her journey and advocacy around mental health—and her star power.
“She is somebody that can really bring a stadium to life for sure," McVicker said. "She’s an internationally recognized icon, and somebody local. We wanted to make sure that B.C. was certainly represented.”
The opening ceremonies are about showcasing Vancouver—and particularly Whistler—because the 2025 Invictus Games are the first to include winter sports.
“Knowing that this Invictus Games is the first-ever winter hybrid games, it's really important to the Invictus Games and the patron, Prince Harry, that we showcase the incredible opportunities that Whistler is presenting and this beautiful village. So rest assured, there will be opportunities to do that in the opening ceremonies that really celebrate the winter and what's different about these Invictus Games,” she said.
“We’ll also be celebrating the incredible partnership we have with the four host nations. Lil’wat and Squamish Nation have been so present from the very beginning, so bringing these games to Whistler, to Vancouver, and really showcasing what this area’s about and whose land we are operating on.”
Tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies go on sale to the public on Sept. 26, though keeners are able to sign up for pre-sale up to Sept. 22, with pre-sale tickets available from Sept. 23. Tickets for the opening ceremony cost $40 plus $27.07 in fees.
McVicker encouraged the public to get ahold of tickets early for the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as events in Vancouver.
Of note, events in Whistler will be free of charge.
“In Whistler, it’ll all be free,” she said.
More information on the games, the events before, during and after, and ticket sales can be found on the Invictus Games website.
