Curling Game Day and Bonspiel Day: Warmth, Food and Pacing

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Saturday, 7:45 a.m., a curling club somewhere in Minnesota or Ontario or Scotland. The coffee’s on, the warm room smells like bacon, and teams in matching (or deliberately clashing) shirts are lacing up for game one of a three-day bonspiel. By Sunday afternoon some of them will have played six games. That’s the fun of curling, and also the catch: it’s easy to arrive at the last draw cold, stiff, underfed and short on sleep. This page covers curling game day and bonspiel day: how long games and events run, staying warm, what to eat and drink, the social side, and how to still feel good in your last game. It works for a weekly league night, a club bonspiel, a junior or college event, or a national championship.

General information, not personal medical or nutrition advice. Back to the curling hub.

How long a curling day really is

• League night: USA Curling says 90 to 120 minutes is common for a weekly league game.
• Bonspiel weekend: USA Curling describes bonspiels as weekend-long tournaments where most guarantee three or four games and you could play up to six or seven.
• Championship curling: World Curling plays 10 ends (some formats 8), with 38 minutes of thinking time per team in a 10-end game, and says an average championship game lasts up to three hours.
• The Olympics: at Milano Cortina 2026, 10 men’s and 10 women’s teams each played a round robin over about a week before the playoffs, and curling was the only sport played on every one of the Games’ 19 days, starting two days before the opening ceremony.

Four to six games at about two hours each adds up to 8 to 12 hours of curling across a weekend, often with early and late draws, compared with two hours a week in league. Plan for it like the bigger day it is.

Staying warm (without overheating)

Curling rinks are kept cold for the ice, and you swing between standing still and sweeping hard. USA Curling’s advice is to wear layers, because you’ll be cold standing around and warm up once you start sweeping, wear clothes you can stretch and lunge in, and skip jeans. Club guides add: no shedding sweaters (fibers end up on the ice), gloves or mitts that grip the broom and come off easily for your delivery, and clean rubber-soled shoes carried in, not worn in from the parking lot.

• Three thin layers beat one thick one: a wicking base, a fleece or sweater, a light jacket or vest. Peel one off before you start sweeping hard, put it back on between ends.
• Keep hands and feet warm: warm socks, a hat or protective headband, and air-activated hand warmers like HotHands in your pockets. Cold hands make for a poor release.
• Warm up again between games. After an hour in the warm room your hips stiffen. Walk, lunge and swing your arms for a few minutes before each draw, not just the first one.

Food and hydration

Curling doesn’t burn as much fuel as hockey or soccer, but a long day on cold ice still runs down your energy and focus, and cold air makes it easy to forget to drink. The sports-nutrition basics from the American College of Sports Medicine and its partners apply:

• Before the first draw: a familiar meal one to four hours ahead, mostly carbohydrate with some protein, lighter on fat and fiber (oatmeal and eggs, a bagel and yogurt, toast and peanut butter).
• Fluids: about 5 to 10 mL per kilogram of body weight in the two to four hours before (roughly 11 to 23 oz for a 150-lb curler), then drink to thirst. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association says drinking to thirst is a sensible approach when you don’t know your sweat rate. Pale yellow urine is a good sign.
• Between games: a real meal if you have two hours or more; otherwise a sandwich, fruit, a granola bar or trail mix. Bonspiel buffets are generous; eat enough, but a heavy plate right before a draw can leave you sluggish in the hack.
• Warm drinks count. A thermos of tea, cocoa or soup on the bench keeps you warm and hydrated. An insulated bottle like the Hydro Flask 32 oz keeps it hot through a game.

More detail is on our curling nutrition page.

The social side: broomstacking and the warm room

Curling is famously social. USA Curling notes that many games end with “broomstacking,” when the two teams sit down together for a beer or soft drink, and the winners may buy the first round. Bonspiels add banquets, themes and costumes. Enjoy it, and keep a few things in mind:

• Alcohol and ice don’t mix well. Even a little affects balance and reaction time, and you’re about to do a one-legged lunge on ice. Save the drinks for after your last draw of the day, and alternate with water. Sports-nutrition guidelines also discourage heavy drinking after exercise because it gets in the way of recovery.
• Sleep still matters. A late banquet followed by an 8 a.m. draw is a bonspiel tradition, and a reason Sunday games get sloppy. Our curling recovery page covers sleep on tournament weekends.
• Etiquette is part of the game. USA Curling’s list: curlers call their own fouls, stay still and quiet during the other team’s shot, and never cheer a miss.

Your bonspiel bag checklist

• Curling shoes or clean rubber-soled shoes, slider and a spare gripper
• Broom, gloves (plus a dry spare pair) and your head protection
• Layers, warm socks, hat, hand warmers
• Water bottle and thermos, snacks, any medicines you take
• A stopwatch if your team times stones, and a phone charger

If someone falls and hits their head during a game, they’re done for the day; follow the steps on our curling injuries page. For another sport that runs on long tournament weekends, see our bowling league night and tournament day page.

Curling game day: FAQs

What is a bonspiel?

A curling tournament, usually over a weekend. USA Curling says most bonspiels guarantee three or four games and you could play up to six or seven, with social events in between.

What should I wear to curling?

Warm layers you can stretch and lunge in, no jeans, gloves that grip the broom, and clean rubber-soled shoes you didn’t wear outside. A hat or protective headband keeps your head warm, and new curlers should consider head protection.

How long does a curling game last?

A club league game usually takes 90 to 120 minutes. A 10-end championship game can last up to three hours, according to World Curling.

What should I eat between bonspiel games?

With two hours or more, a normal meal with carbohydrate and protein. With less, something light and familiar like a sandwich, fruit or a granola bar, plus water or a warm drink.

What is broomstacking?

The curling tradition of both teams sitting down together after the game for a drink and a chat. The winners often buy the first round. Soft drinks are just as welcome.