SASKATOON -- The last time Saskatoon hosted the Juno Awards was 13 years ago.
Smartphones didn’t exist and fans crowded SaskTel Centre with digital cameras, to get a good shot of Nelly Furtado.
Furtado hosted the 2007 event and won the Artist of the Year Award.
Former CTV News reporter Jennifer Jellicoe interviewed Furtado during the awards show.
“It was epic,” Jellicoe said.
“We got to meet lots of the different performers and singers. I even got to meet Nelly Furtado who was the host that year. It was super fun for us because we worked for CTV, so we had the in.”
On Sunday, Canada’s largest awards show is returning to Saskatoon – at the same venue in 2007.
Juno’s would be more successful in an ‘entertainment district’: Ford
This year, crews are preparing for more technology on stage.
“There’s over 200 hanging points, which means they’ve got a lot of video, special effects and sound throughout the arena to create this massive visual presentation,” said Scott Ford, chair of the Juno host committee.
During Saskatoon's bid to host the Juno’s, there was concern about the location of SaskTel Centre – not being in an entertainment district.
Ford said being more central, with increased foot traffic would improve the event.
“But we are where we are and the building has been tremendously successful where we are right now. If we were downtown, and part of an entertainment district, we'd be even more successful,” Ford told CTV News.
The Juno’s kick-off concert, headlined by the Sheepdogs, begins Thursday night at Coors Event Centre.
