One of the highlights for me each year is seeing what new and interesting food choices are available on the Midway.

Last year, I did a brief food feature for the Blog entitled Reggie’ll Try It! where I attempted to put my life on the line so you wouldn’t have to. I hope to do more of the same at this year’s Stampede and who knows, maybe it’ll make a return here on the Blog.

I’ll be honest though, I don’t have an iron stomach so there are some things that I might not touch with a 10-foot pole, but for you loyal Stampede Blog readers, I may make an exception.

This year’s Stampede will feature many new Midway treats, in addition to the return of some old favourites. Long-time Stampeders may notice some yearly repeats in the following list, but if you’re new to Calgary or to the Calgary Stampede, then it’s probably all new to you.

So without further ado, here’s the list (in no particular order) of some of the new and/or unique foods appearing at Stampede 2010:

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It's coming...

It’s never too early to start thinking about Stampede!

Last year, all of you loyal Stampede Blog readers may remember that I started a series intended to highlight a few events and activities that would be happening on the grounds or around town during the ten days of Stampede that you may or may not have known about.

With less than two months to go until Stampede 2010, and considering that there’s just so much to see and do during the 10 days of the festival, I figured that it’d be great to get an earlier start this year.

So starting tomorrow, and every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday (or thereabouts) each week until Stampede 2010, tune into the Stampede Blog and learn about a cool aspect of the Stampede that you may or may not have been aware of. Hopefully, you’ll get some ideas here that will help you with planning your next trip to The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth!

It should be fun, I hope, and if you have any comments or suggestions on content that you’d like to see covered here (either on the Spotlight series or elsewhere), feel free to leave me a comment here on the Blog, or hit me up on Twitter at @regtiangha (I don’t bite, promise)! And of course, don’t forget to follow our main Twitter account at @calgarystampede as well.

See you all tomorrow!

By Killa Burkinshaw

GeoCanada and Women in Leadership lead this week’s activities after this break.

-GeoCanada- GeoCanada 2010 is a once-in-a-decade opportunity for anyone who works with the Earth. Whether your focus is petroleum, base and precious metals, groundwater, geophysics, bedrock and seabed mapping, geohazards, uranium or environmental remediation, GeoCanada 2010 will present the latest developments across a complete spectrum of Earth Science professions. It is the ultimate opportunity to gain insight into your profession and the Earth, sharing experiences and knowledge with your peers from across Canada. BMO Centre May 10-13. For more information for this event go to the website here.

- A Day with Dr Harvey Karp- Author of the Happiest Baby on the block is giving a talk at the BMO Centre Hall E for 2 days May 15 and 16. Get your tickets at www.dankridyl.com or through Caroline at 403.278.0138.

- Celtic Woman- presents their new show “Songs From the Heart“. Come join the ladies for some amazing music and stage show. Stampede Corral, May 18, 2010 at 7:30 p.m.

- Women in Leadership- Inaugural Calgary women in business Luncheon. May 19 BMO Centre 11 am. For more information about this event go to the website here.

- Calgary Stampede Coke Stage launch Party at Flames Central. May 20th at 6 p.m. Hope you got your ticket for this great event.

That’s all for this week. For updates and info on everything Stampede, make sure you follow us on Twitter at @calgarystampede and @HereAllYear, on Facebook through our official Facebook fan page, and stay tuned to the official Stampede Blog to learn more about some of the things happening Here. All Year.

Missed out on this morning’s opportunity to win tickets to the exclusive Coca-Cola Covert Concert at Flames Central on Thursday, May 20 through our Stampede Insider newsletter? I wouldn’t be surprised; they were all gone within 11 minutes!

But don’t worry, there are other opportunities to win.

Just follow us on Facebook and Twitter throughout the next two weeks for more chances to win a pair of tickets to this exclusive concert. More details here. Find out who the two mystery bands playing that night will be, but more importantly, be one of the the first to know who will be playing at this year’s Coca-Cola Stage!

Finally, if you haven’t already, make sure you sign up for our Stampede Insider newsletter so that you don’t miss out on any other contests that may be run in the future. Besides, it’s a great source to get the latest Stampede news, advanced ticket opportunities, and more!

I can’t get into any details, but word on the street is that you’ll probably want to be signed up for our Stampede Insider newsletter as soon as you can.

It’s the best way to get access to the latest Stampede news as well as advanced ticket opportunities, exclusive contests, and much, much more.

So if you’re not signed up, why not do so right now?

And while you’re at it, feel free to join us on Facebook and Twitter as well. With those two, the Stampede Insider newsletter, and the Stampede Blog, you’ll be the first to find out about everything and anything to do with the Calgary Stampede (like, say contests) all year round.

That’s all I have to say for now. And don’t forget: There’s only 66 days left until Stampede 2010!

On Sunday April 25th the girls and I ran 5km to support the Lupus Society of Alberta. Our wonderful make-up sponsor Liz, has been battling Lupus for a few years now and we were thrilled to be able to run for such a great cause. We worked hard to recruit as many people as possible to join “Team Liz.” On the day of the event, we were pleasantly surprised at how many people turned up, despite what looked to be a chilly day. Two past Queens, Kerri Williamson and Amy Smith participated as well as our friends and family members. Katie and I brought mascots, her dog Beau and my border collie Hank, who wore purple leis in support of Lupus. We all completed the run with good times (Hank drug me for most of the 5km) and the event was a huge success. “Team Liz” won best team and Katie’s brother placed second overall in the run. We had a wonderful day enjoying the fresh air, visiting with great people and raising awareness.

A BIG thank you to everyone who sponsored us and who came out to participate! We couldn’t have done it without you.

Janelle

By Killa Burkinshaw

Though there isn’t much going on this week at the Park, believe me we are a buzz of activity in planning and getting ready for Stampede 2010! The gardeners are busy planting, maintenance is busy fixing and repairing everything before you all come. I can hardly believe that there are only 66 more days left! Okay, shall we what’s happening after all that?

- Brooks and Dunn Last Rodeo Tour- Superstar duo Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Last Rodeo Tour’ will mark the culmination of the duo’s groundbreaking 20 year career. Opening for Brooks & Dunn is Gary Allan and Jason Blaine. Saddledome May 4, 2010, 7:30 p.m. Tickets are at Ticketmaster.

- Sears Stars on Ice Presented by Samsung- See Canada’s newest Olympic Gold Medallists Tessa Virtue & Scott Moir and Bronze Medallist Joannie Rochette as they join the best skaters our country has to offer — including Four-Time World Champion & Four-Time Canadian National Champion Kurt Browning; Olympic Medalist, World Champion and many more on May 9, 2010. Show time at 4:00 p.m. Tickets are at Ticketmaster.

- The WHL Calgary Hitmen continue their playoff run on Friday May 7, against the Tri-City Americans. Come out and cheer on the home team. Get your tickets here.

That’s all for this week. For updates and info on everything Stampede, make sure you follow us on Twitter at @calgarystampede and @HereAllYear, on Facebook through our official Facebook fan page, and stay tuned to the official Stampede Blog to learn more about some of the things happening Here. All Year.