Juno Awards 2012: Events to look forward to

Grace Stanisci

In the days leading up to Canadian music's big night, there are plenty of opportunities for fans to connect with their favourite artists and get to know them on a new level.

Here's a rundown of this weekend's Juno Award festivities:

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JUNO Cup: Friday March 30 at 7:30pm
During this event, fans can watch a mixture of NHL greats face off against a few Canadian rockers in a spirited celebrity charity hockey game. The event will take place at the Nepean Sportsplex (Steve Yzerman Arena) and supports Canada's music education charity, MusiCounts.

See more: Leading men and women of the Junos

JUNOFest 2012: Friday March 30 and Saturday March 31, from 9:00pm — 2:00am (both evenings)
For two nights, the streets of Ottawa will come alive with budding musical talent and showcase more than 100 local, regional and national acts. Artists like Jim Cuddy of Blue Rodeo, Kardinal Offishall, The New Cities and Swollen Members are scheduled to perform in various local hot spots and promise to deliver a rockin' good time!

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JUNO Fan Fare: Saturday March 31, from 12:00pm — 3:00pm
Ever want the chance to get up close and personal with your favourite rock stars? During Juno Fan Fare, you can! For three hours you can get autographs signed, meet the musicians and listen to live performances. Check out the St. Laurent Centre on Saturday and get the chance to see stars like Carly Rae Jepsen, deadmau5 and Simple Plan!

Juno Songwriters' Circle: Sunday April 1, 1:00pm — 3:00pm
Juno Award nominee, Dan Mangan, will host this year's Songwriters' Circle and will be sharing songs and stories on stage. He will be joined by fellow Juno nominees David Francey, Kardinall Offishall, Kiran Ahluwalia, Lindi Ortega, Max Kerman (Arkells) and Terri Clark for this intimate afternoon event at the Centrepointe Theatre.

See more: Seven reasons not to miss the Junos

The 41st annual Juno Awards will air live from Ottawa this Sunday and keep checking in with Yahoo! Canada Music for all your updates!

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