An event that brought $4 million in economic activity last time it was in Medicine Hat is returning to the city this summer.
The annual Jehovah’s Witnesses Convention will run June 21 to 23 at Co-op Place, officials confirmed Tuesday.
The theme this year is “declare the good news”.
Brad Pramberg, a spokesperson for the Jehovah’s Witnesses, said he’s happy the conference has returned after first coming to the city in 2023.
“We are excited to work once again with city officials to host one of our conventions in Medicine Hat,” Pramberg said.
“Many people need to experience some positivity in their lives, and we are happy to enjoy the program once again in this welcoming and hospitable community,” he added.
“The facility itself was a great place for learning and associating with our friends and family, the natural light and the accessibility in and out of the facility.”
In 2023, the Jehovah’s conference brought over 8,500 to the city. Organizers expect to bring over 3,500 participants from across the southern parts of Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan for this year’s edition.
Medicine Hat tourism director Jace Anderson said it presents an opportunity to showcase Medicine Hat.
“The other thing that’s beautiful for us is we get as a community the opportunity to present ourselves as open and welcome to host business events of this size,” Anderson said.
“We did that as a community successfully [last year], so we get to do that again this year.”
Anderson also highlighted the importance of the city-run Co-op Place.
“None of this would have been possible without the facility that we’re standing in,” he said.
Trampas Brown, Medicine Hat manager of guest experience and operations, said he believes the city has shown that it can accomodate large events.
“I think the economic impact and spin off to the community and then the return visitors that come back because they wanted to do something on the trip weren’t able to or want to do something again, I think is key,” Brown said.
“I’m really hopeful that this will become an annual event.”
Hotels in Medicine Hat sold out nearly instantly when last year’s conference was announced.
The city’s hospitality, food and beverage and other industries are expected to have a strong economic impact for this year’s edition, spread over one weekend this year instead of the two weekends it took place over last year.
The convention in Medicine Hat is just one of some 60 Jehovah’s Witnesses conferences hosted this summer across Canada in 23 different locations and in 19 different languages.
