The BC Lions are throwing a party to kick off the CFL season in Vancouver.

On Saturday, June 11, pop-rock band OneRepublic will perform during pre-game festivities at BC Place when the Lions begin their 68th regular season.

The 30-minute concert will start at 6:30 p.m., before the Lions battle Edmonton Elks that night.

Earlier in the day, from 2 to 6 p.m. on a long stretch of Robson Street between Beatty and Cambie, Steven Page will headline the Lions’ Backyard Block Party, presented by Canadian Club. The event, open to those aged 19 and over, will also feature music by Famous Players Band, food, Central City beer and tailgate activities for football fans prior to the team’s home-opener.

Game tickets are available on bclions.com, along with more details about June 11 events.

The Grammy-nominated OneRepublic previously served as the halftime entertainment for the 104th Grey Cup in Toronto in 2016, and more recently performed halftime for the NFL season-opener between Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears in September 2021.

The band has several hits over the past decade-plus, including “Counting Stars,” “Apologize” and “I Ain’t Worried,” featured in the new “Top Gun: Maverick” movie.

Last August, Amar Doman was introduced as the new owner of the Lions.

“I like to rebuild things,” Doman told reporters after the team announced he had purchased the team from the estate of previous owner David Braley.

“I think this needs a rebuild, a community touch,” the Victoria-born businessman added. “And the CFL, I believe, needs a bit of a reboot and I think I’m the guy to do it. I think I can pull the community together and also get the community and the team more involved locally.”

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