Thousands of athletes will visit Erie for Martin Luther King Jr. weekend as the Erie Gymnastics Center hosts the 22nd Annual Stars and Stripes Gymnastics Invitational at the Bayfront Convention Center, and TCS Hockey hosts the Erie MLK Cup at multiple ice venues in the county. Both events will run Friday-Monday.
“The sports industry doesn’t cool off in Erie in the winter, and this weekend proves it,” Erie Sports Commission Executive Director Mark Jeanneret said. “These two events are expected to generate $3.5 million in estimated economic impact throughout the county this weekend. That’s a boon to our businesses at a time of the year where it can really make a difference.”
Nearly 2,000 young gymnasts representing five states will filter through Bayfront Convention Center for Pennsylvania’s largest co-ed gymnastics competition. The event was founded in the wake of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and offers free admission to all members of the military, police, fire and rescue workers.
A portion of the proceeds from the Stars and Stripes Gymnastics Invitational are donated to a military, police or fire and rescue-based organization each year, leading to more than $100,000 donated since the event’s inception.
Competing gymnasts will hit the floor starting at 9 a.m. each day. The Main Event will feature top level male and female gymnasts (Level 10) at 6 p.m. on Saturday, January 14. A full schedule of events can be found here.
More than 50 youth boys hockey teams from across the United States will take to the ice at ERIEBANK Sports Park, Erie Insurance Arena and Mercyhurst University for the Erie MLK Cup. The tournament will feature teams ranging in age from 18U down to 8U, who will compete in half-ice games.
Games will begin at 5 p.m. Friday evening and continue until 10 p.m. Action will begin at 7 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday, with Monday’s championship games starting at 8 a.m. at ERIEBANK Sports Park. The full tournament schedule can be found here.
For more upcoming sports events happening in Erie, click here.
