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Jam Pail Bonspiel

The Jam Pail Bonspiel was created over 60 years ago to provide an exciting recreational activity for Medicine Hat's school-aged children. The event is FREE and takes place March 9 & 10, 2026.

Registration for this year's Jam Pail Bonspiel will open in January, 2026.

The two-day bonspiel teaches the basic concepts of curling and will see the ice at the Moose Rec Centre converted into multiple curling rinks.

2025 marked the 60th anniversary of the Jam Pail Bonspiel in our community!

This year, we have changed the date and location to allow us to connect with our event roots and invite schools to participate during the day. Jam Pail Bonspiel has continued to grow over the years, in addition to offering school timeslots during the day, we have three registration categories for the evenings: Ages 7-9, Ages 10-12, and Open/All Ages. Kids ages 7-9 compete against each other on Monday evening, while kids ages 10-12 go head to head on Tuesday. The Open category was added to the lineup 10 years ago to allow participants of all ages to compete in Jam Pail curling, and it is now one of our most popular recreation family activities. The Open category is available on both Monday and Tuesday, allowing you to pick the day that works best for your schedule.

The Jam Pail Bonspiel is all about participation and fun. Every participant gets a ribbon – from First Place to Eighth Place in each pool.

Who can play?

School-aged teams are made up of four players (in either Ages 7-9 or Ages 10-12) and a designated adult supervisor (must have a minimum of three players to participate).

Open/all ages teams are made up of four players and must have at least one adult player. This is your chance to play as a family! Teams of all adults are also accepted.

What should I wear?

Warm winter clothing that you can easily move in is recommended, including gloves. Heavy boots and dirty footwear can damage the ice. We ask participants to wear indoor footwear on the ice to help keep the playing surface clean.

What are the rules?

Teams consist of four players and can be boys, girls or mixed teams.

Participants do not have to be from the same school.
All teams must have a designated supervisor (age 16 or older) who is responsible for the team on and off the ice. The supervisor will be responsible for the following:
- ensuring the entry forms are completed and signed
- assisting students with the process of Jam Pail curling
- keeping score during the games (all supervisors will be given training in scorekeeping 15 minutes prior to the first game in the marshalling area)
A game consists of five ends, or a maximum of 30 minutes.
Each team will play three games.
Players can bring their own brooms, but brooms are not required in order to play (and are not supplied).
All teams must sign in at the rink 15 minutes before each of their scheduled games.
All teams must have a minimum of three players to qualify for each game.