July 24-26, 2026
FIRST Tech Challenge provides students with an opportunity to build and program a robot using a smaller set of tools, materials, and a more modular design than FIRST Robotics Competition. Teams work to develop creative solutions to the season’s challenges using both hardware and software. FIRST Tech Challenge fosters teamwork, collaboration, and innovation on a smaller, but still highly competitive, scale.
This is a Premier Event!
The FIRST Tech Challenge Canadian Rockies Premier Event @ KDays is one of only eight Premier Event this season! Premier Events are capstone events specifically focused on celebrating FIRST Tech Challenge teams. Teams earn advancement to Premier Events the same way as they earn advancement to the FIRST Championship, based on performance at their Regional Championship event.
Why select this Premier Event?
We are excited to be partnering with KDays to host the FIRST Tech Challenge Canadian Rockies Premier Event @ KDays from July 24-26. KDays is a 10 day extravaganza of rides, games, free music concerts, fireworks, food and adventure which is rooted in local history and deeply connected to the city of Edmonton.
The FIRST Tech Challenge Canadian Rockies Premier Event will be in the Edmonton Expo Centre, Hall C, located on the grounds of KDays. The Canadian Rockies Open will start with FIRST Robotics Competition on the opening weekend, followed by an FIRST LEGO League Open mid-week, and wrap up with this FIRST Tech Challenge Premier Event.
The FIRST Tech Challenge Canadian Rockies Premier Event is an official Premier Event competition running DECODE. The event will be using an official FIRST field with NO modifications.
KDays is giving free entrance tickets into the fair, with the cost of registration (ride tickets are excluded, but can be purchased separately). Please do not forget to include a list of team members with registration to assure you receive tickets for all your team members. As an official offseason, remember, this competition is open to all teams worldwide. Since it is during the summer, you can plan team social activities at the fair, and visit places like West Edmonton Mall or hike in the Canadian Rockies!
This event is more than robots! Yes, we will celebrate the robots to their full potential, but in addition, there is much more to do while taking part in this event. Have a look at our page Why this event?, and learn why this is a complete experience package!
Overall Schedule
| Thursday, July 23rd | |
|---|---|
| TBD | Team Social and Early Check-In at Telus World of Science – Edmonton! Team Check-In and distribution of KDays entry passes Optional pit drop off for shuttle to KDays, see more information below. Check back later for more details! |
| 6:00PM – 9:00PM | Early Load-in @ KDays Pits and Practice Fields are open If you use our pit shuttle, your pit will be waiting at the back of the EXPO Hall C. Otherwise, use the provided load-in tag to drop off your gear at the hall before parking. Directions below. |
| 9:00PM and on | Pits close, time to explore KDays and watch the fireworks! |
| Friday, July 24th | |
|---|---|
| 10:00AM – 12:00PM | Load-in @ KDays Pits and Practice Fields are open Pits must be setup by 12:00PM If you use our pit shuttle, your pit will be waiting at the back of the EXPO Hall C. Otherwise, use the provided load-in tag to drop off your gear at the hall before parking. Directions below. |
| 12:00PM – 2:00PM | Robot Inspection Robot Inspections have 5 scheduled stations |
| 2:00PM – 2:30PM | Day 1 Kickoff Driver’s Meeting & Mentor Meeting at the competition fields |
| 2:30PM – 7:30PM | Exhibition Matches! These matches will feature a mix of student-built and mentor-build robots! Teams will get 2 matches each. There will be a dinner break from 5:00PM to 6:00PM Judging Interviews Interviews are scheduled, please arrive at your assigned station a few minutes prior to your assigned time. |
| 7:30PM and on | Pits close at 9:00PM, time to explore KDays and watch the fireworks! |
| Saturday, July 25th | |
|---|---|
| 10:00AM | Pits open |
| 11:00AM – 11:30AM | Parade of Teams! Meet at the Practice Fields for staging at 10:45AM sharp. |
| 11:30AM – 12:00PM | Opening Ceremonies! |
| 12:00PM – 5:00PM | Qualification Matches Begin! Teams will get a total of 8 matches each |
| 5:00PM – 6:00PM | Dinner Break |
| 6:00PM – 7:30PM | Qualification matches continue |
| 7:30PM and on | Pits close at 9:00PM, time to explore KDays and watch the fireworks!! |
| Sunday, July 26th | |
|---|---|
| 10:00AM | Pits open |
| 11:00AM – 11:15PM | Day 3 Kickoff |
| 11:15AM – 3:45PM | Qualification matches continue |
| 4:00PM – 4:30PM | Alliance selection! |
| 4:30PM – 5:00PM | Dinner Break |
| 5:30PM – 8:00PM | Playoff rounds, Finals, and Awards! |
| 8:00PM and on | Load out and time to explore KDays and watch the fireworks!! Teams can meet at the main fields and depart with other teams. Load out can begin at 9:00PM |
* The schedule is still a work in progress and will be updated as we come closer to the event.
Mentor Bots!
Yes, mentor bots is a thing at KDays! While teams are being inspected and judged, why not let the mentors have fun with their bots? Bring a bot and compete against other mentor bots as well as some students build robots that are ready to test the field at KDays on Friday night before the event matches officially start on the Saturday.
Your team did not qualify for a Premier Event but still want to join?
Your team did not qualify for a FIRST Premier Event, but still want to join our event at KDays? No worries! Fill our application form and let us know why you should get a special invitation and we never know, you may get a special invitation to join the event!