Variety Village to host Feed The Dream Paralympics celebration this Saturday
By NATASHA JACKSON
Variety Village is bringing community members together to help kick off the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games with a free event on Saturday, March 7, in southwest Scarborough.
Variety Ontario is partnering with Sobeys as part of its Feed The Dream 2026 campaign and the March 7 event is an immersive, Paralympic-inspired sports experience for people of all abilities.
It will also be a chance to show support for Team Canada at this year’s Winter Paralympics which are taking place in Italy from March 6 to 15.
Fifty athletes are set to compete for Team Canada and will compete in each sport at the Paralympic Winter Games including Para alpine skiing (eight athletes), Para ice hockey (17), Para nordic skiing – including Para biathlon and Para cross-country skiing (15), Para snowboard (five), and wheelchair curling (five).
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 7, Variety Village (3701 Danforth Ave.), is inviting community members to watch Day Two of the Paralympic Games together and to try a range of adaptive parasports and experience firsthand the skill, strength, and precision required by Canada’s Paralympians.
The event is free to attend, but those taking part must register in advance to reserve a spot and present a ticket issued to them after they do so in order to be admitted.
Archie Allison is the director of access and awareness at Variety Village. He has been involved with Variety Village since 1984, and has spent decades dedicating his life to accessibility advocacy and inclusion. As a youngster he saw firsthand how access to sports, recreation and fitness can change lives physically and socially.
“What inspired me was realizing how many barriers existed simply because spaces and programs weren’t designed with everyone in mind. I became passionate about helping create opportunities where people of all ages and abilities could participate fully, feel welcomed, and be seen for what they can do. That belief has guided my work ever since,” said Allison.
As director, Allison focuses on creating pathways to participation for children following a diagnosis, injury or new interest in a sport or activity. He also offers support and program management for sports such as wheelchair basketball, athletics/track and field, weightlifting, Taekwondo, swimming, and VOLT hockey.
Variety Village works with donors, volunteers and local-community driven organizations to create welcoming spaces for children with disabilities. They do this by running programming for adults and youth of all ages and abilities. This includes fitness activities and sports, developing new programs, educating communities and working with schools and organizations to teach about sports inclusion and participation.
“What really resonates with us at Variety Village is the campaign’s focus on the people behind the athletes, the families, friends, coaches, and communities that help make those dreams possible. That aligns closely with our mission to create inclusive spaces where people of all abilities feel supported, encouraged, and empowered through sport,” said Allison.
He said he hopes that those attending on March 7 will take what they’ve learned at Feed the Dream and implement it into their daily lives. He wants to remind people that parasports isn’t just a one-day event, it is a community that everyone can be a part of all year long.
“The Paralympics deserve the same attention, respect, and celebration as the Olympics. Paralympic athletes demonstrate extraordinary skill, dedication, and resilience—and their stories matter because they challenge perceptions of ability and redefine what excellence looks like in sport,” said Allison.
For more information on the March 7 Feed The Dream event, and to register to participate, please go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/feed-the-dream-experience-at-variety-village-tickets-1983374648966?aff=oddtdtcreator
