American Cornhole League makes Canadian tour stop in Airdrie

The Airdrie Curling Club swapped rocks for bean bags this weekend.

That’s because the American Cornhole League was in town, the first time an ACL event has been held in Western Canada.

For Aaron Giroux, the Alberta conference director for the American Cornhole League, it was a big moment for the sport – and for him.

“I’m ecstatic to see this event come out here,” Giroux said. “To have the opportunity to bring this event to Calgary, my hometown, is a dream come true.”

Cornhole is a lawn game where players or teams take turns tossing bean bags at raised, angled board with a hole in its far end.

The goal is to score the most points by landing a bag on the board or putting one through the hole.

If it sounds like a fun way to wind down from a summer backyard barbeque, you’re on the right path.

Chris Keiper drove all the way to Calgary from North Dakota with a buddy just to check out how Canadians do cornhole.

"We’ve been playing it a long time in the states," he said.

“I’ve probably been playing 10 years, just drinking beers in the backyard with my buddies,” Keiper added. “I’ve been driving all over, Vegas, Louisiana, Texas, Colorado, the northeast, Pennsylvania and I don’t know – it’s a fun sport.

“You dive right into it and it gets competitive and you get addicted."

While there were hundreds of passionate amateurs like Keiper taking part in a variety of events over the weekend, the weekend event was also part of a pro league. There were about two dozen Canadian professionals participating, who competed for a $10,000 purse.

“I was actually the first pro in Canada,” said Connor Weiss. “This is the Canadian pro tour – so it’s kind of like golf. We all tour around like the circus. We all have full-time jobs but this is our tour.”

Giroux said the cornhole tour is returning in October with another event, where the pros will compete for a $25,000 purse.

For more information about the American Cornhole League, go here.