For basketball fans in Saskatchewan HOOPLA takes place in Saskatoon on March 20-22 this year. In 2024 we were privileged to host HOOPLA in Moose Jaw. Games were played at Riverview, Vanier, Sask Polytechnic, and Peacock schools. The local team from Central Collegiate won the Boys 4A.
Hoopla means excited or agitated commotion and activity. When young children have a birthday near Christmas it can be a challenge to make sure the birthday celebrations do not get lost in the holiday hoopla. There is a stark contract between the somber season of Lent and the hoopla of Mardi Gras.
Hoopla can also suggest anxious or angry discussion. Despite all the hoopla about climate change the Canadian government is considering a reversal of policies on the carbon tax and pipeline construction. There is a lot of hoopla around the planet about the use of tariffs.
Hoopla can also mean extravagant promotion or publicity. After the Oscars have been awarded watch for the hoopla commencing for the winners. Once the new James Bond is finally announced by Amazon be prepared for the hoopla prior to the next movie hitting theatres.
An event or occasion with a lot of excitement can be called a hoopla. The San Deigo Comic Con in July 2025 is one big hoopla for people with a passion for comic books and sci-fi enthusiasts.
Hoopla entered into American English in the late 1800s from the French interjection, houp-la. In French houp-la is used similarly to upsy-daisy or whoops-a-daisy in English. One might use such a word when lifting up a toddler who has fallen down to reassure them that the stumble was not a big deal. Originally hoopla referred to excited or agitated furor, similar to hubbub or hullabaloo. As time went on, hoopla was then used to refer to hype, especially describing marketing plans for the release of a new product.
Some view hoopla as carrying a whiff of disapproval. By naming something a hoopla, chances are you want to convey that the cause of all the fuss may not be such a big deal.
Synonyms of hoopla may be ado, ballyhoo, corroboree (in Australia), foofaraw, kerfuffle (in Britian), pandemonium, splore (in Scotland), tumult, and uproar.
In 1598 William Shakespeare (1564-1616) wrote the play Much Ado about Nothing. The title implies that a great fuss or hoopla is made of something insignificant.
Ballyhoo means flamboyant, exaggerated, or sensational promotion or publicity. Eric Olson wrote in the Washington Post on July 7, 2024, “For all the ballyhoo about the total solar eclipse this past April, the event didn’t stir up much in the way of conspiracy thinking.”
In Australia corroboree refers to a noisy festivity, derived from a nocturnal celebration with songs and symbolic dances by which the Australian aborigines celebrate events of importance.
Foofaraw has been used in the western United States since the 1930s to describe a disturbance or to-do over a trifle. The groom’s parents could not fathom all the foofaraw that accompanied the wedding.
In Britian kerfuffle means a disturbance or clamor typically caused by a dispute or conflict. The royal scandals of the past decade have caused quite a kerfuffle on Fleet Street.
Pandemonium implies a wild uproar because of anger or excitement in a crowd of people. Easter morning after the church service is always marked by pandemonium as the young children scramble throughout the church looking for chocolate Easter eggs.
In Scotland splore means a commotion. The splore that annually accompanies the Edinburgh Festival is something to behold.
Tumult means a disorderly milling about in a crowd, usually with chaos and confusion of voices. The party grew so large that we had to shout to be heard over the tumult.
For many people in Saskatchewan if they hear or read the word hoopla, they think about the provincial high school basketball championship. So, stay tuned to the Saskatchewan news sites for information about HOOPLA 2025. There are usually a few Moose Jaw teams involved in this celebration of high school basketball. Fans are encouraged to engage in some hoopla by cheering on the teams in person.
John would like to know if anyone has a sincere interest in a relevant word that he could possibly research for an upcoming column. If so, please send your requests to [email protected]. Words will be selected according to relevance and research criteria. We cannot confirm that all words will be used.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the position of this publication.
