The local Robin Hood Association branches have caught Oilers playoff fever.
On Wednesday (May 10) the branches came together at their Sherwood Park location to host an Oilers tailgate party ahead of Game 4 of Edmonton's second-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights.
The event took inspiration from the association's Green and Gold Day that they host with players from the Edmonton Elks football team.
"I was able to reorganize [Green and Gold Day] this year and it was really great turnout," said Lucas Bevan, an organizer of the event. "It sort of sparked the idea to do the Oilers tailgate party so myself and the rest of the internal events committee put it all together and it was really great turnout."
There was a wide array of things for people to enjoy at the tailgate, from staples like a hot dog BBQ to Oiler's themed hockey target shooting, with the Golden Knights logo on the targets.
Bevan says they had an incredible response from those who attended.
"We had 279 individual RSVPS and 90 staff but there were more people than that," said Bevan. "We were well over 350 [people]."
With the COVID pandemic limiting the association's ability to come together with their fellow branches, this was an opportunity to individuals back together in a fun way.
"We haven't had everyone all in one group for a long time," said Bevan. "It was nice to see people interacting and people seeing friends and acquaintances that they haven't in three or four years in some cases."
According to Bevan, talks are already underway in hosting another one of these tailgates when, not if, the Edmonton Oilers advance to the Stanley Cup final.
"It took a lot of hands to pull off but I think the agreement at this point is when we advance to the cup final that we will definitely organize another."