July 25-27, 2025
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 25-27. 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 INTO THE DEEP. 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
| Friday, July 25th | |
|---|---|
| 8:00AM – 11:00AM | Team Check-In at Telus World of Science – Edmonton! Complimentary Pancake Breakfast (Including a Robot Pancake Maker!) |
| 11:00AM – 1:00PM | Load-In at KDays – Edmonton Expo CentreLoading at the EXPO Hall C. |
| 1:00PM – 3:00PM | Robot & Field Inspection |
| 3:00PM – 3:30PM | Day 1 Kickoff Driver’s Meeting at the competition fields Mentor Meeting in Judging Station 1 |
| 3:30PM – 6:00PM | Exhibition Matches! |
| 6:00PM – 7:00PM | Dinner Break |
| 7:00PM – 9:00PM | More Exhibition Matches and Judging Interviews! |
| 9:00PM and on | Pits close, time to explore KDays and watch the fireworks! |
| Saturday, July 26th | |
|---|---|
| 11:00AM – 12:00PM | Pits open |
| 12:00PM – 1:00PM | Opening Ceremonies! |
| 1:00PM – 6:00PM | Qualification Matches Begin! |
| 6:00PM – 7:00PM | Dinner Break |
| 7:00PM – 9:00PM | Qualification matches continue |
| 9:00PM and on | Pits close, time to explore KDays and watch the fireworks!! |
| Sunday, July 27th | |
|---|---|
| 11:00AM – 12:00PM | Pits open |
| 12:00PM – 12:15PM | Day 3 Kickoff |
| 12:15PM – 3:45PM | Qualification matches continue |
| 4:00PM – 4:30PM | Alliance selection! |
| 5:00PM – 6:00PM | Playoff rounds 1-3 |
| 6:00PM – 7:00PM | Dinner Break |
| 7:00PM – 8:00PM | Playoff rounds 4-5, Finals, and Awards! Virtual BINGO winners announced! |
| 8:00PM and on | Load out and time to explore KDays and watch the fireworks!! |
* 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!