YORK, PA – Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) will bring its annual Indoor Winter Games to York County for the fourth year in a row March 2-3, 2024. A record attendance of more than 500 athletes is slated to compete in this year’s event. The competition kicks off on Saturday, March 2, with Delegates arriving from the 13 Pennsylvania counties as well as from Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Presented by Explore York, the SOPA winter games feature four events: bowling, floor ball, figure skating, and speed skating which will be held at various venues, including the York Expo Center, York Ice Arena, and the Colony Park and Laser Alley Bowling Centers.
Following a full day of competition, athletes return to the York Expo Center for Olympic Ceremonies beginning at 4 p.m. This year’s Olympic Village includes 25 clinicians offering free dental exams and health screenings through the Healthy Athletes and Special Smiles Program. A celebration including the Parade of Athletes, Dinner, and Dance follows. Competition resumes Sunday at 9 a.m. with awards ceremonies starting at 1 p.m.
“Explore York is proud to sponsor and support this inspiring event hosted in York County,” said Laura Wagner, Explore York’s President. “The Special Olympics Winter Games showcase the hard work of participating athletes who dedicate months of training and endure tough competition to qualify for the games. Cheered on by hundreds of coaches, loved ones, and our community, the games demonstrate the strength of the human spirit and bring positive economic impact to our area.”
In addition to the presenting sponsor, Explore York, Indoor Winter Games major event sponsors include: Karns, WellSpan Health, York Ice Arena, York County, York Expo Center, York Jewish Community Center, Penn State York, York College of Pennsylvania, Inch & Co., Knights of Columbus, Aramark, Law Enforcement Torch Run for Special Olympics Pennsylvania, Sheetz, Wawa, PSECU and Philadelphia Insurance Companies.
About Special Olympics Pennsylvania
Special Olympics Pennsylvania (SOPA) provides year-round training and competition in 21 Olympic-type sports to more than 20,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities or closely related developmental disabilities. For 50 years, SOPA and its 54 local programs have used the power of sports to transform the lives of people with intellectual disabilities and unite everyone by fostering community and building a more acceptable and civil society. SOPA is much more than a sports organization. Through its Athlete Leadership Programs, athletes assume meaningful leadership roles, influence change within the Special Olympics movement, and take on roles as Global Messengers (trained as public speakers for Special Olympics), athlete representatives, coaches, board members, and more. SOPA also addresses major challenges facing its athletes including healthcare. Its Healthy Athletes program offers athletes free health screenings in the form of eye, ear, dental and podiatry assessments. Athletes are also taught how to live active lifestyles, eat healthy, and more. Additionally, SOPA strives to create a unified world by promoting inclusion, uniting communities, and changing attitude. Through Unified Sports, SOPA brings together individuals with and without intellectual disabilities as equal teammates in training and competition, which promotes respect and acceptance, and facilitates meaningful relationships between people of all abilities. For more information about how you can join "The Inclusion Revolution," visitspecialolympicspa.org
About Sport York
Explore York's Sport York program is designed to recruit events and generate additional economic impact in York County. Sport York positions York County as Pennsylvania's Premier Sports Destination, highlighting the area's dynamic facilities and central location on the East Coast. For further information about Sport York, visit www.YorkPa.org/sports.
About Explore York
Explore York’s mission is to maximize tourism expenditures and their economic impact in York County, PA, through comprehensive tourism sales and marketing programs. Explore York’s vision is for a York County where tourism is recognized for the value of its economic impact and its role in raising the profile of York County as a sought-after destination. For more information on Explore York, visit YorkPA.org.