Be inspired and celebrate the endless possibilities of the human spirit by
attending the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games

Tickets available at www.vancouver2010.com for $30 to $175

VANCOUVER, Feb. 20 /CNW/ - Capture a piece of the magic and be there in person as Canadian and Paralympic history is made on March 12, 2010 as the world's best winter Paralympians are officially welcomed during the dazzling and awe-inspiring Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games.

The two-hour ceremony, which will take place indoors at BC Place in downtown Vancouver, is an affordable way for families to be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience one of the most magical moments of Canada's Games. Tickets range in price from $30 to $175 and are available to Canadian residents on a first-come, first-served basis at www.vancouver2010.com.

"The Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Winter Games will be a wonderful, affordable celebration with spectacular performance components that showcase dance, highlight abilities and celebrate the athletes," explained ceremonies producer Patrick Roberge. "We have assembled a top creative team and thousands of volunteers who are just brimming with excitement. We want the entire audience and the athletes to get swept up in the magic as we celebrate their incredible stories and encourage them to reach for their dreams here in Canada in 2010."

The Paralympic Opening Ceremony will be officially opened by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean, Governor General of Canada, and promises to be a world-class celebration that will capture the unique spirit and heritage of Canada and the Host Region of the Games. More than 4,000 volunteer performers including dancers, singers, acrobats, athletes, and musicians will celebrate the compelling achievements of the 1,000 athletes and officials from more than 40 countries around the world at the Games.

At the end of the ceremony, the lighting of the Paralympic Cauldron will signal the official start of the Games and the end of the 10-day Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch Relay, which will start on March 3, 2010 in Ottawa, ON.

An all-Canadian team of 15 experts in costumes, lighting, music, and stage direction are part of the creative team tasked with orchestrating the magical and awe-inspiring moments celebrating the dramatic achievements of Paralympians at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.

On March 21, the Paralympic Winter Games will draw to its official close in the Host Mountain Resort of Whistler in a unique amphitheatre designed especially for the Olympic and Paralympic Victory Ceremonies and the Paralympic Closing Ceremony. The ceremony will be an intimate open air event that will include breath-taking entertainment and the parade of Paralympians from around the world as they march into the amphitheatre. Closing ceremony tickets cost $60.

Tickets for all Paralympic events are available at www.vancouver2010.com. Individual ticket prices to sport events start at $15. Group ticket prices - available for most sport events for groups of 20 or more people - are just $10. More than 70 per cent per cent of all individual tickets are priced at $20 or less.

Customers may also purchase tickets at Main Ticket Centre locations in Vancouver and Whistler operated by the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC), or by phone at 1.800.TICKETS (1.800.842.5387). A TDD/TTY service is available for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing at 604.629.7140.

For more information, visit www.vancouver2010.com.

About VANOC

VANOC is responsible for the planning, organizing, financing and staging of the XXI Olympic Winter Games and the Paralympic Winter Games in 2010. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games will be staged in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12 to 28, 2010. Vancouver and Whistler will host the Paralympic Winter Games from March 12 to 21, 2010. Visit www.vancouver2010.com.

About Patrick Roberge Productions (PRP)

PRP Inc. is a live entertainment and show production company that specializes in creating spectacular, large-scale shows and events. Based out of Vancouver, BC, PRP's award-winning team boast more than 22 years of high-profile international events and entertainment production. Visit www.prpconnect.com.

For further information: Media Contacts: VANOC Media Relations, Tel: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]; Ruth Knoop, Patrick Roberge Productions, Tel: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]