Vancouver is roaring out its supremacy after the BC Lions pulled off a championship victory the city's hockey team could not, mauling the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to seize the 99th Grey Cup.
Fans of all stripes were in pigskin party mode all weekend, and the decisive win delivered the home crowd just one more reason to paint the town orange.
The Lions proved they were Canadian football kings with a 34-23 result over the Blue Bombers. B.C. also became the first squad since the 1994 Lions to capture the league title on their own turf.
At BC Place Stadium, neon hard hats were flung skyward, plastic horns were loudly tooted and revellers danced the jig in fluffy hand sewn leo costumes.
"After the Stanley Cup riots, this is a great crowd. That didn't represent our city, this represents our true city, right here," said Lions fan Glen Muir as he and a buddy paraded out of the stands, grinning ear-to-ear.
Though police had every expectation the event would remain peaceful, the positive result quelled any lingering fears of mayhem breaking out in the streets. When celebrations migrated to the city's entertainment district, Vancouver Police Const. Jana McGuinness described them as similar in size to a busy weekend evening.
Vancouver, the West Coast host that's gotten used to holding massive sports gatherings, showed its reputation was on the mend months after the ugly turn of events when the NHL's Canucks lost the Stanley Cup final in June. Cars were burned, stores looted and there was pandemonium in the downtown core.
Sarah MacDonald and her sister, Kelly, who donned face-painted black snouts and whiskers, described everything about the Grey Cup weekend as awesome.
"Everyone was great, everyone was excited. You could see fans were cheering for different teams, enjoying each other and celebrating each other," she said.
"We've shown the world that we can be good winners and that we can celebrate as a city together."
The CFL's largely older fan base, composed of Canadians who travelled from cities across the country, just wanted to celebrate.
Even Winnipeg fans, whose emotions appear to match their team colours, were taking their defeat with grace.
"Hats off to (the Blue Bombers) for not quitting and digging in and trying to win it for us," said Ken Burns, a 26-year season ticket holder who came out from the 'Peg with wife Jackie for his 16th Grey Cup. "Really appreciate it and they're a young team, they'll be back next year."
Jason Henderson, decked in gold and navy gear, sighed over the notion his team's two-decade-plus drought continued.
"I was hoping to see a lot more from our offence, but what can you do. They did what they could and it is what it is," he said.
"Time to just drown out my sorrows, just drown 'em."
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Official Opposition interim leader Nycole Turmel and B.C. Premier Christie Clark were in the sell-out stands of more than 54,000 people to watch the game.
With the outcome established, several other elected leaders will be making good on friendly wagers set beforehand.
Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz has pledged to go to a major Vancouver intersection and declare the city "No. 1."
Manitoba premier Greg Selinger, meanwhile, will hand over bison and beer to B.C., and plans to bathe his provincial legislature in an orange glow of lights.
The atmosphere inside BC Place Stadium was electric during the game, with a heavy crush of orange illuminating the stands.
Several fans on Twitter were miffed singer-songwriter Jann Arden only performed the national anthem in English. But halftime rockers Nickelback were received with hearty applause, instead of boos they got recently at an NFL game in Detroit.
Outside the stadium, city officials took precautions to ensure the event -- famously dubbed the "Grand National Drunk" -- would not go sideways.
Police, fire, ambulance and the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority took a more co-ordinated approach before the largest meeting of sports enthusiasts since the hockey-related brawl.
Extra safeguards included not hosting any TV viewing live sites, no outdoor beer garden and a decision by the province against granting temporary liquor licences to restaurants and bars.
"At the end of the day, it's really just a party for Canadian football. We're all here to see a great game, and it's great to see a lot of people coming out for all the different teams," said Frank Arndt, 41, of Brandon, Man.
"It's probably the second pastime for a lot of Canadians, there's hockey in the wintertime and there's football in the summertime."
A family fun zone was packed ahead of the game, but staff were conducting checks to make sure no booze was sneaked in. Various street festival stages and activity booths were torn down at kickoff.
