Advisory — Chess for Life program presents ChessFest community event at Galt Museum

The University of Lethbridge’s Chess for Life program is bringing chess to the community on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, when it presents ChessFest at the Galt Museum.

The interactive event runs from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes everything from a youth tournament to chess demonstrations and fun family-oriented activities like outdoor chess and Building Brains Together family play.

“It’s exciting to be able to put together an event like this and showcase chess in a community setting,” says Jade Oldfield (BEd ’18), a neuroscience graduate student. “There are so many positives that come from learning and playing the game of chess, we want to expose as many people as possible to its benefits. Plus, it’s just fun to play!”

Chess for Life is a unique, restorative justice program that has been officially recognized by Alberta Justice as an alternative sentencing measure. Chess is used as the vehicle for change because it provides safe and structured opportunities for youth to practice and develop skills such as inhibitory control, working memory and cognitive flexibility.

Known as executive functions, they are a better predictor of life success than IQ or education. Chess also promotes other executive functions such as self-regulation and planning ahead.

ChessFest 2024 Schedule

9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. — Youth chess tournament (ages 8-18)

1 to 4 p.m. — Family and chess activities

1:30 p.m. — Simultaneous chess demo

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Contact:

Trevor Kenney, Manager of Public Affairs
403-329-2710
403-360-7639 (cell)
@ULethbridge

Our University’s Blackfoot name is Iniskim, meaning Sacred Buffalo Stone. The University is located in traditional Blackfoot Confederacy territory. We honour the Blackfoot people and their traditional ways of knowing in caring for this land, as well as all Indigenous Peoples who have helped shape and continue to strengthen our University community.