“Traditionally, before the final draw of a bonspiel, a bagpiper leads the teams participating in the final draw onto the ice, and then everybody takes a shot of Drambuie (or ginger ale). Isn’t curling silly? Actually, it is kind of neat to watch. It was worth sticking around for.” – Chris Allen

Bonspiels offer curlers from around the world the opportunity to get together, compete against one another, and help grow their local curling clubs through increased exposure.

Almost every curling club in the world hosts at least one bonspiel (curling tournament) annually. Bonspiels usually span anywhere from 2-4 days. Any number of teams from around the world could compete, however typically most tournaments are open to a total of 24 to 48 teams.

The teams are placed into brackets and play multiple games over the course of the tournament. These events vary widely in terms of competitiveness.  There are some which award large cash prizes to winners but more likely you’ll win a coveted gold pin and have your names immortalized on the bonspiel trophy. But the real reward comes in doing what you love, meeting other curlers, and just having a blast.