The Calgary Stampede, called the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, started this Friday. It is one of the things for which we are world famous. It always starts on Friday with a parade. People in Calgary get time off work to go to that parade. The whole city gets involved – stores are decorated; people dress up (you can still always tell who the real cowboys are – they’re the ones whose boots are worn-in). It’s also known as the world’s richest rodeo. Serious money.
And then there are the trademark Pancake Breakfasts (I hear there’s even an iphone app now to help you find places to get free breakfasts).
For ten days, businesses and groups all over the city provide free pancakes, sausages, and coffee. For anyone. Now THAT’s a friendly town.
Many of the locals love to hate the Stampede. I’ve never understood that. It may be kind of hokey sometimes, but, hey, no place else in the whole world has this. That’s something.
I’m sure there will be plenty of articles and posts about the kinds of experiences many people have at the the Stampede: from the midway, to the free concerts, the Indian Village, rural craft and cooking contests, to the “As-Seen-On-TV” salesmen (and women) in the Big Four Building, to the Super-Dogs shows several times a day. This isn’t about those.
Over the years I have experienced the Stampede in a large variety of ways. When I was still living at home, my step-father took me and my mom to watch the Chuck Wagon races. I did not, of course, get to go on rides or experience the midway because he was not interested in that. For a few years after I moved out I would go ‘stampeding’ with friends. We always had a blast. I remember when they first started to do ‘midnight madness’, where they kept the midway open all night. Even in the rain (there’s ALWAYS rain).
When my kids were little, we sought out pancake breakfasts and became familiar with the kids’ rides. During that time I also worked part-time at Butterfield Acres Farm. Among other things, they provide petting zoos and pony rides, and the stampede is one of the busiest times of the year for that. My stampede experience then consisted of getting up at ungodly hours to pack petting zoos off to stampede breakfasts, rain or shine. Our job was to keep the animals safe, the people happy, and to keep the kids from wiping too much pancake syrup on the goats. Poo on the shirt was Mom & Dad’s responsibility.
Then there was a long time where my stampede experience consisted of watching my husband take the kids (and usually a few extras) down to the grounds for the day. I only rarely came along and will forever be grateful for all those days off at home alone.
Last year we did something a little different. I’ve long thought that the agricultural part of the stampede is getting smaller and smaller and last year we had a chance to help change that just a little. Through various connections we were invited to bring some of our critters down to the Stampede as part of the Rare Breeds display.
(for more on rare Breeds, see my next post)
We brought some of our ducks and geese.
It’s the first time I’ve ever seen the Stampede as an “insider”. Sure, it’s not the same kind of inside-view that the Chuckwagon folks get, and it certainly not the same inside-view that the Stampede Showband (marching band) gets. But it is an insider view nonetheless. I kind of enjoyed it, so we’re doing it again. I met some fine people, and had fun talking to ‘the public’ about our critters.
If you’re down on the grounds tomorrow (Tuesday) or Wednesday, drop on by the agribuilding and come find us!
