1990 Skate Canada Pins: Figure Skating and a Barbecue.

Last Updated on June 21, 2026 by Netropolitan Museum

A final appearance for Skate Canada’s short-lived snowflake logo

By 1990, the financial services and insurance company Sun Life was in its third year as title sponsor of Skate Canada, North America’s oldest international figure skating invitational. Marked by a logo that appears to be a hybrid of a snowflake and an asterisk, the 1990 Skate Canada event was commemorated with pins that closely resembled those of the two prior years. Although the familiar Skate Canada brand that had become so recognizable and successful had been all but retired, organizers were continuing to build a new visual identity—one that would ultimately occupy only a brief chapter in the event’s history.

Situated in southern Alberta, the city of Lethbridge welcomed competitors from around the world for the 1990 event, an impressive accomplishment for a community of just around 60,000 at the time. A western theme prevailed at Skate Canada, fitting for a province closely associated with rodeos, ranching, and cowboy culture. Even the event’s closing banquet was a barbecue—a distinctly western touch that was done, no doubt, in true Canadian style.

Pins Gallery: 1990 Skate Canada

Featuring somewhat less style are the 1990 Skate Canada pins. Shown first in the gallery is the main logo pin, featuring the snowflake/asterisk logo at center against a black textured background. Along the top are the sponsor and event names: “Sun Life, Skate Canada.” In a nod to the past, the legacy skater logo that defined the original Skate Canada brand is tucked—almost microscopically—between the sponsor and event names. Angled along a portion of the lower-right corner is the word “International.” Its placement, disconnected from the rest of the event name, is less successful from a design standpoint than on either the 1988 or 1989 Skate Canada pins. The formal event name, of course, was “Skate Canada International.” At the bottom appear the event location and year: “Lethbridge 1990.” On a gold-color base metal, all artwork and lettering are rendered in raised gold relief.

Next in the gallery is the Artistic Fours pin issued to commemorate the discipline in which two pairs teams perform simultaneously. Displaying some of the same branding elements seen on the main logo pin, this example is strikingly different in appearance. It features an unusual and vivid magenta background paired with silver lettering and artwork, all protected beneath a thin clear epoxy coating. Several differences become apparent when compared to the logo pin. The legacy stylized skater is proportionally larger, the font used for the sponsor and event names differs subtly, the location of Lethbridge is omitted, and the pin is undated. Perhaps most noticeable—and somewhat curious—is the absence of the word “International.” The snowflake/asterisk logo remains the central design element, while the designation “Artistic Fours” appears below.

The snowflake/asterisk logo seen on both pins would make its final appearance at 1990 Skate Canada. Although Sun Life continued as title sponsor throughout much of the decade, the event subsequently adopted a variety of logo designs rather than maintaining a single visual identity from year to year.

This blog was originally published at The Netropolitan Museum of Figure Skating Pins on July 15, 2023, and has been updated with new and expanded information.

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