Gordie Howe arrives in Saskatoon for Kinsmen dinner

Hockey legend Gordie Howe has arrived in Saskatoon for a tribute event.

Howe, 86, is the guest of honour for the 55th Annual Kinsmen Sports Celebrity Dinner, set for Friday evening. The event sold out in December.

According to the event notice, the entire Howe family will attend and "have earmarked this event asGordie Howes final public appearance ever."

He arrived Thursday night, after a delay of a few hours, from Texas where he lives with family members.

Howe and his family got into a multi-passenger van that had driven up to the parked plane and they departed the airport.

• VIDEO: Hockey royalty arrives in Saskatoon for Gordie Howe tribute event

Howe, born in Floral, Sask., was perhaps the game's most dominant player of his era. From 1946 to 1971 he was the star right winger for the Detroit Red Wings, setting league records and winning the Stanley Cup four times. His entire professional hockey career spanned 32 years.

Among the guests honouring Howe Friday will be Wayne Gretzky, another hockey star who broke many records set by Howe. Gretzky arrived in Saskatoon earlier Thursday.