‘Stampede goes ahead, come hell or high water, or hell or no water’
Calgary throbbed with people as they made their way to Stampede Park to welcome one of the country’s biggest festivals.
People of all ages brewed with excitement as they filed into the Stampede grounds and past the expanded BMO Centre, wandering around on a floor pulsing with music.
The crowd had gathered for Sneak-a-Peek, an event preceding the festival’s inauguration where people relished different kinds of food with live music.
Zennep Cox, who’s from Edmonton, has heard the tales of Stampede his whole life. Cox finally made the pilgrimage this year with his old schoolmate, Sam Adair.
“I just wanted to get the experience finally,” Cox said.
One of the main draws for both friends is a concert by the rapper G-Eazy. “I’ll be jumping,” said Cox.
Adair said he is also excited about hopping on the Ferris wheel, “especially at night.”
Rides are also popular with Kai Johnson, a Calgarian in Grade 9. She isn’t picky, said Johnson, who was with her mother. “Anything that spins is great for me,” she laughed.
Johnson said she is also eager for concerts by her favourite indie rock bands, Peach Pit and Metric.
Beside Johnson was a row of vendors. Among them was a B.C.-based poutinerie where Nickolas Sourtzis readied his team for a flood of people.
It’s Sourtzis’ sixth year running the station at Stampede, and every year has been the same — an adrenaline-filled experience, although he sounded prepared.
“We have all of our staff and trailers organized appropriately for the event,” Sourtzis said, adding he has introduced several new items, including fresh-cut fries and new variations of burritos.
“I’m always excited,” he said. “This is what I love to do.”
Not too far away, Matthew Wray was receiving a steady stream of customers.
Wray has been continuing the legacy of his family-run business, CandyTime, which began with his father Brooke and uncle Bill.
“My dad’s still here — he’s been doing Stampede for 52 years . . . this would be my 28th Stampede. I’m 39, so I started when I was about 10,” he said.
Wray, who is running four CandyTime trailers on the grounds, said they hire about 40 kids ages 14 and up for the 10-day event.
“It’s a good first job, it’s easy, learn some customer service skills, stuff like that.”
Seated on a bench nearby was Kamla McGonigal, whose family has been a fixture in Calgary since its early days. McGonigal’s paternal grandfather arrived in Calgary from Punjab in the early 1900s and attended the first festival in 1912.
“My family has attended every Stampede ever since,” said McGonigal, who’s 71.
McGonigal, who was with her grandchildren, said she is most excited about the art show, where her daughter-in-law Karen Coe has a booth displaying her paintings.
“This is a top Western art show in Canada for sure, perhaps even North America,” McGonigal said.
Her belief in Stampede has stayed strong throughout, even as a ruptured feeder main threatened the city’s water supply.
“Stampede goes ahead, come hell or high water, or hell or no water,” she said.
With files from Steven Wilhelm.
