Category Archives: Contests

Aggie Days: Free Fun for the Whole Family

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Looking for something to do with the kids next weekend?  Pop over to Aggie Days at the BMO Centre on Stampede Park on Sat, April 13 and Sun, April 14. This FREE annual event is guaranteed to be a fun day for the entire family.

Aggie Days

If your kids love animals you won’t want to miss this fantastic opportunity to see more than 100,000 square feet of agricultural exhibits with cows, sheep, and horses; plus farmers, ranchers, blacksmiths and more.

Attendees will get to try hands-on activities like cow milking, seed planting, and watch sheep shearing and stock dog demonstrations.

CS Aggie Days

As much of our society becomes further removed from life on the farm it’s important to preserve the rural-urban connection, and ensure the next generation knows where the items they purchase at the grocery store come from.

“Aggie Days is committed to educating children and adults about agriculture through unique and interactive displays,” says Connie James, Chair of the Agriculture Education committee. “It is an industry that we depend on heavily; however, so many people are unfamiliar with it. Aggie Days gives children and adults the opportunity to make a connection between the food they eat and the farms that grow it.”

bolo ties

Stop by the Next Generation Committee’s display where kids can hand-craft their very own bolo tie, and parents can get the inside scoop on how to make the most of your Calgary Stampede experience this July!

Plus, we’ll have details about our amazing contest for those who are on Twitter and Instagram, with multiple chances to win some amazing prizes between now and Stampede.

2013-aggie-days-schedule

More information on Aggie Days can be found here. 2013-aggie-days-floor-plan

‘Til Next Time!

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Jovita: It has been diagnosed, I have Stampede Lag. It is like jet lag, only from not sleeping at the Stampede and then being thrown back into the real world Monday morning. But would I trade one minute of the Stampede I experienced for sleep? Never. The ten days of early mornings, late nights, and hot afternoons Arielle and I got to participate in can never be replaced. It was a once-in-a-lifetime chance to experience the 100 year anniversary of the Stampede, let alone as an Ultimate Intern!

I could gush all day about all the events we got to go to, but you have already read those blog posts. Instead I will express my immense gratitude at being able to work with the Stampede and meet the staff and volunteers. Incredible patrons aside, the Stampede staff and volunteers put on the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth with hard work, pride, and hospitality and have blown everyone away with the centennial celebration. Happy Birthday Calgary Stampede, and thanks for the memories.

 

Arielle: I’m craving mini donuts, crazy rides, spectacular shows and two-stepping. But most of all I’m craving the people. Now that I am back to the real world, I have been asked many times what my favorite was at the Stampede. Easy – the people I’ve met.

I have fallen in love with Calgary and the Calgary Stampede all over again because of the dedication, energy and graciousness I have witnessed from volunteers, employees, and fellow Stampeders. Being present during all 10 days of the Calgary Stampede, let alone being backstage or front of the line for most of it, has been one of the most amazing things anyone can experience. I feel (oh so ridiculously) blessed to have been a part of this and am grateful to those who joined me in my adventures online. I hope you had a blast. Until next year. Xo.

 

Read our adventures here!

TransAlta Light Up the City – 2nd Winning Family

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If there’s one thing you can’t predict during Stampede week, it’s the weather. It can be too hot, too cold, too rainy…sometimes even snow has been known to fall! This past Saturday, July 14 there were some pretty dark, ominous rain clouds looming threatening a storied torrential downpour- however, the rain managed to stay light and finish just in time for a spectacular TransAlta Light up the City show.

This lucky turn of events allowed our second Light up the City family winners (the McClelland’s) an opportunity to spark the beginning of the show, erupting five international-scale firework displays across our city.

How did we choose the McClelland’s from a sea of entries? Well, read on to hear their story:

“Our family would love to press the plunger to set off the fireworks. This is my 15th Stampede as a volunteer and am very blessed to serve as the Chair of the Promotion committee. However, there’s a strong Stampede connection to my family as well. As my submission to “My Stampede” states, I met my wife during Stampede in 1998 and my oldest daughter was born on Parade Day, July 5, 2002- right at the time the fireworks were going off at around 11:30 PM. We remind her at every birthday that “the whole city threw a parade and set off fireworks to celebrate her birth”! We celebrated her 10th birthday the day before the Centennial Stampede started and would love to have our family set off the plunger in the context above!”

Thanks to all who participated not only in the Light up the City contest with us, but also our daily twitter contest in which we had the awesome opportunity to give away some great prizes to our followers! (Think Rodeo tickets, GMC Rangeland Derby/Evening show tickets, Johnny Reid concert tickets and a few special Centennial Stampede prize packs). Our online presence side of NGC loved seeing the entries come thru the twitter feed every day, garnering photos and submissions for our #CSTimeCapsule project.

We hope you all thoroughly enjoyed your Centennial Stampede- it was one we shall not soon forget…and can’t wait to celebrate with you all for Stampede#101!

 

 

Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous

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For your entertainment, I am sharing a few insights about the notable people I met during my Stampede experience.

 

Paul Brandt.

He’s down-to-earth. Instead of small talk and taking a quick photo, Paul made a point to ask his fans questions about their personal life. From his questions to his “thank you’s” he did not rush, truly appreciating that we were thrilled to meet him. It was amazing to see how Paul truly cared about who his fans were.

He graduated from Mount Royal – just like me! While talking, we realized we had something in common – our love for Mount Royal. He graduated from Nursing in 1992, and was hoping to eventually become a doctor – but then a record deal showed up!

He is ridiculously good looking.  (okay… maybe I already knew that!)

He loves his wife. When talking to Paul, I told him how I loved seeing his wife perform with him at the Saddle Up event. His eyes lit up at the mention of her. He expressed how he was thankful and excited he was to have her on stage with him. So cute.

 

Aaron Pritchett.

He parties hard. With singles such as “Hold My Beer” and “Let’s Get Rowdy”, I think this is quite obvious. But you need to see him perform to truly understand his love for partying – including shot-gunning countless beers on stage. Impressive.

He loves his band. I’ve never seen a performer engage and announce his band members as many times as he did. He also did not fail to let the ladies know his buddy on the keyboards was single. (Good to know!)

He is passionate about Canada. Born in British Colombia, his love for his country is obvious. The song he performed most passionately? “Oh Canada”. And he got the whole crowd to sing it with him.

He could be a comedian. My stomach hurt from laughing the next morning. This could be a great back up if his singing career doesn’t work out (yeah right!)

 

Terry Grant (previously called Man Tracker).

He volunteers. We met Terry when hanging out with the Racetrack Maintenance crew during the Chuckwagon races. He is a part of the Chuckwagon committee, and was busy overseeing the flow of the chuckwagon races. It was warming to hear about his passion for the Chuckwagon committee.

He’s not as scary as he looks. While many think he is mean after seeing him in his television show, Man Tracker, I am sure it’s staged. We saw a different side of Terry. He is a truly nice guy: calm, collective, and eloquent with his words.

 

Mayor Naheed Nenshi.

He’s not just a mayor, he’s a celebrity. It was hard to get a word in with Nenshi before and after the Century Zipline. Why? He was being bombarded with people who wanted to talk to him or get a photo with them. Calgarians love him.

He has fears. Before jumping on the Zipline, Nenshi shared with us a few fears. Yes, he was scared of the height of the Zipline, but most of all, he was afraid of getting stuck in the middle of it. That would have given us a good story (and laugh), but lucky for Nenshi, it never became an issue. 


Mike Casey. (pictured above)

He’s cool.  Picture this. A 60-something-year-old man who goes by Mike (not Michael nor Mr. Casey), who does not blink when it comes to Ziplining 180 feet over crowds of people. How cool is that?!

He can make friends with anyone. His charm can capture anyone’s attention as he chats with every single person he came across. Days after meeting him, he saw us milking a cow in front of a small crowd and made a point to say “hi!”.

His passion for the Calgary Stampede and Calgary is contagious. Mike beamed when he talked about Calgary, as well as the Calgary Stampede. He was excited about the Stampede’s centennial and everything it was bringing to the city. I left feeling warm and bubbly about Calgary and the Calgary Stampede.

 

Garth Brooks.

He is in love. (and oh man, is he ever!) I was touched by the love that Brooks and Yearwood had for each other. I love love. I found myself singing (to the tune “I wanna love like Johnny and June”): “I wanna love like Garth and Trisha!”

He is incredibly humble. He was so very grateful for the crowd’s energy and warmth. His positive reactions towards the crowd after each song made me want to cheer louder for him (unfortunately my voice wouldn’t let this happen).

His family is his number one. Garth constantly mentioned his wife and his daughters. He even hinted that he may come out of retirement once his youngest daughter graduates (she is currently 16). I think she should do everyone a favour and graduate early…

 

Sophie Sumners.

She can make anything classy with her accent. Not many can say “I don’t want anyone to see my naughty bits”, “bloody hell that is terrifying!” or “my! you’re a legend!” and sound as elegant.

She is terrified of heights. We dragged the poor girl to the Zipline, on many midway rides, and to the Flowrider. Was she emotional and horrified? Absolutely. But she smiled the whole way through.

She is always up for an adventure. As I mentioned, we brought her on some extreme rides. She didn’t miss a beat, sparkling whether or not the rides scared her.

She’s real.  Sophie showed me that despite fame, one can be genuine and kind. We had a great connection and were able to talk about things that really matter in life.

 

 

Dragonette.

Martina is goofy. Lead singer Martina was all smiles when people oohed and awed over her. The positive upbeat about her and her silly comments eased the tension of some nervous fans during the meet and greet.

Dan & Martina are in love. The exchanges of glances, smirks, and a back massage (that we accidentally walked in on) made that connection quite obvious. Too cute.

 

 

Scooter Korek.

He’s not just a boss – he is a respected leader. Although an executive at North American Midway Entertainment, Scooter takes the time to say hi to every team member at the Midway. It’s a big team, but he doesn’t fail to generate a big smile from each one he walks by. They love him, treating us like royalty when seeing we were with him. Upon further research, I found out this positive relationship was genuine – he was an instrumental part in the development of the Employee Award Program.

He is gracious. He gave us both his cell number if we wanted to go on rides again – no line, no cover. Days later, we gave him a shout to show Sophie Sumners around the Midway. No problem – he took the time out of his busy day to escort us around.

He started in Calgary. Although he travels with the Midway around North America, his home base is here. He started in the amusement industry 35 years ago with the Calgary Stampede itself!

Canadian UFC Fighters 

They’re terrified of heights. Tough men scared to go down the Zipline? Hilarious.

 

Adrenaline Addictions & a Flying Paul Brant

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Arielle: I don’t like saying no to new adventures. Meaning, I was going to go on the two largest rides at the Stampede: the Slingshot and Skyscraper.

 

I went on these two rides on the last day. I had a hard time convincing someone to come on with me for the past nine days – including my usually brave teammate, Jovita. The Slingshot was great (in the video I am beaming and cheering, while my friend beside me is hanging on for dear life, eyes squeezed closed). The Skyscraper is a whole ’nother story. It’s the tallest ride on the grounds, spinning you from ground to sky, high above the city at 70kmph.

 

It’s the waiting that kills you. You have people behind you and in front of you – all joining in on your panic, discussing the scenarios of dying on the ride. I couldn’t help but ask the gentleman working there: “How many people have died on this ride?” He replied, unsure, “Zero in twelve years.” I couldn’t help but think what happened thirteen years ago…

 

Because I cannot explain the intensity of my fear, here’s a play-by-play of my experience:
   I changed my mind – I want off.
   I can’t get out.
   Oh no, we are goin…,
   Stop the ride!
   Hey, this is fun!
   This is going to be okay!
   That is downtown UPSIDE-DOWN.
   Oh no, we are stopping.
   Please stop swaying.
   I’m gonna die.
   Tell my family I love them.
   Get me off of this.
   I regret this decision.
   They are going to put us backwards.
   No!
   No, too fast!
   No!
   Slowing down – thank goodness!
   I’m alive!

 

Yes, I was shaken to the core after this ride, but because I live for this kind of adrenaline, I can assure you I will be on it again next year!

 

Jovita: Even though I had been dying to see Paul Brandt in the Grandstand show since the first day of Stampede, due to our busy schedule I saw the last possible show on Sunday.

 

The show was preceded by the Rangeland Derby trophy presentation and a special white hat ceremony for the young international performers participating. The Young Canadians were (as usual) flawless, showing off their impersonating talents; with my favourite part of the show: a Patsy Klein, Dolly Parton, Shania Twain and Taylor Swift tribute.

 

Paul made a high-flying entrance, but he wasn’t the only one. Hoop dancer, Dallas Arcand, flew in on a golden-lit eagle, landing on the stage with poise and tackling a intricate hoop dance. There was a giant birthday cake and collective Happy Birthday chorus paired with the firework show. Stampede President Mike Casey came on stage after to officially close the Stampede, and I found myself wondering where all ten days had gone!

NGC Twitpic Contest: Day #10

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It is day TEN of the Calgary Stampede and that means it is day ten of our Next Generation Committee Stampede contest.

Today you could win a Centennial Prize Pack! This pack includes Calgary Stampede blanket, men’s belt buckle, and a copy of “The first Stampede of Flores LaDue” (the true love story of Florence and Guy Weadick and the beginning of the Calgary Stampede)

How?!

Well it’s easy!

Today we are asking for your twitpics of The Fireworks. They can be from any of the ten days including the finale tonight. We will also include your twitpic in the NGC’s Time Capsule.

Include our Twitter handle, @CS_NGC and the hashtag #CSTimeCapsule with your photo and you will be eligible to win.

Winners will be notified Monday morning by direct message (so make sure you’re following us!). From there we will ask for your email address (so make sure you check your messages!).

Good luck cowboys and cowgirls!

For more about the Time Capsule Project check out our website

For more information about the contest check out this blog

Two Guys & Their Guitars

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Arielle: I’ll admit it – I had that “Garth Guilt” that Mike Morrison has been talking about. I kept my ticket a secret until we were headed to the concert, tiptoeing that we were lucky enough to see Garth Brooks perform. It took every bone in my body to not give up my ticket to friends and family that were dying to see him.

 

When we got there I realized I had goosebumps! The noise in that Saddledome was deafening, the energy electric. To even be a part of that crowd before Garth performed was an experience in itself.

 

Being a hopeless romantic, my favourite part was when Garth’s wife, Trisha Yearwood, surprised us by coming onto the stage to perform with Garth. The crowd was just as welcoming to Trisha as they were for Garth – shaking the Saddledome with cheers. The way Garth and Trisha looked at each other was nothing short of romance – there’s no way that kind of love can be staged. After a few songs and a big smooch, Trisha left to be encored right back, singing “She’s in love with a boy” (to be stuck in my head the entire next day, singing it to strangers when telling them about my experience).

 

Garth was good-natured about the attention that Trisha got from the crowd. Saying: “Just to remind you: you’re at a Garth Brooks concert tonight!” as well as, “I get called Mr. Yearwood back at home”.

 

Our friend, Calgary Stampede President, Mike Casey came onto stage and presented both Garth and Trisha with beautiful Centennial belt buckles. Trisha did not miss a beat – and after some help from Garth – put the buckle on her belt in front of the roaring crowd (a lesson I’m assuming she learned from last year, when Calgarians were disappointed when Will and Kate did not put on their white hats straight away).

 

Other highlights of the concert?

  • How Garth kept basking in the love the crowd gave him. He was grateful and humble, displaying happiness through and through to be up there performing for us.
  • Garth saying he doesn’t sing the third verse of “Friends in Low Places” anymore. The crowd had no problem belting it out for him.
  • Along with his band, Garth ensuring that the entire crowd was involved. He performed at every edge of the stage possible: singing behind, to the side, and at the front.
  • The sweat Garth kept throwing off his face. The cameras captured it perfectly so that the crowd could see the true intensity of his performance.
  • The second encore. After the first encore finished, we just hadn’t had enough. All the lights went back on, but the crowd was still going wild, coaxing Garth back onto stage for a third time.

The next day my ears hurt from the noise, my mouth hurt from smiling, and my voice hurt from screaming. That’s confirmation in itself that Garth Brooks was perfect.

 

 

Jovita: I’ve been looking forward to Brad Paisley’s concert for ages. Long before I won the Ultimate Intern contest, I had purchased tickets to see him perform. The wait was worth it. If I thought nothing could top Garth Brooks, I was wrong. (This statement might get me in trouble with some of the Garth fans, but for me, Brad is in a whole different category).

 

The show started with light shows blasting through screens and some of the best effects I have ever seen. There were many cheers when Kimberly Perry from The Band Perry came to accompany on “Whiskey Lullaby” and even more when a digital Carrie Underwood appeared to sing “Remind Me”. The tour lived up to its’ name, “Virtual Reality”.

 

Brad’s skill on the guitar is something I have never witnessed before, with him running through the crowd while not missing a chord. He was deft at changing guitars almost every song without ever knocking his cowboy hat off. Before the encore, Brad exited the stage by jumping into a pool after the tune “Water”. There was a quick meet and greet. I was too smitten to say anything more than “Hi!”, but got a photo out of it!

NGC TWITPIC CONTEST: DAY #9

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Good Morning Calgary!

It is day NINE of the Calgary Stampede and that means it is day nine of our Next Generation Committee Stampede contest.

Today you could win tickets to the rodeo finals on Sunday, July 15th!.

How?!

Well it’s easy!

Today we are asking for your twitpics of yourself enjoying the Midway. Rides, games, food – we want it all! Simply tweet us with your picture and you could win. We will also include your twitpic in the NGC’s Time Capsule.

Include our Twitter handle, @CS_NGC and the hashtag #CSTimeCapsule with your photo and you will be eligible to win.

Winners will be notified at the end of the day by direct message (so make sure you’re following us!). From there we will ask for your email address (so make sure you check your messages!).

Good luck cowboys and cowgirls!

For more about the Time Capsule Project check out our website

For more information about the contest check out this blog

Chatting with Cops, Ziplining with the Famous, Bare Bottom Surfing & Cricket Pizza

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Calgary Police Services

Jovita: We met up with the Calgary Police Services to explore the Stampede grounds together, and get a feel for what it’s like to work at the Calgary Stampede. The officers were on duty in the Indian Village so we accompanied them there. We donned Indian Princess hats and stared in awe at all the colourful outfits. A few of the tipis were open for inspection and we wandered around with our escorts until we reached the CPS tipi. It came complete with unique crest and the promise of an invite to the Indian Village.

 

Arielle: I asked one of the officers about his experience as a Policeman at the Calgary Stampede. He told me that about five years ago he considered retiring as a cop. And then he moved to Calgary. He explained to me how Calgary is different. Here, cops are a part of the Calgary community; they are appreciated and trusted. As a cop, wearing a cowboy hat around the city is a great symbol of this alliance. He loves the Calgary Stampede and working at it. It’s a different pace for him – filled with high excitement and welcoming people.

All this love, respect, and appreciation? This is exactly why I love my city.

 

Zipline

Arielle: I didn’t think I was scared of heights, but when you are 118 feet above crowds of people about to Zipline over them, I am sure you would panic too. The first time we ziplined was with Mayor Nenshi and Stampede President, Mike Casey, the second time with America’s Next Top Model, Sophie Sumners. Climbing the stairs was a workout in itself, terrifying me more and more as I climbed up each new set of scaffolding. Both times it took some convincing for me to go down (the first time, a shove), while Jovita took the ziplining with ease, even going upside-down.

 

(Note: There’s a whole lotta of fear behind those smiles.)

 

FlowRider

Jovita: Arielle and I managed to find time on Saturday to take a quick trip to the beach! It wasn’t very far away, just the beach located in the BMO center, complete with oversized sandcastle and the Flowrider, an indoor surfing machine. We got to have the first ride of the day, which was nice because there wasn’t a lot of fans at first to watch our failed rookie attempts at staying upright on the board. By about the fourth time, I seemed to get the hang of it and managed to do some weaving.

 

 

I was feeling pretty good about myself until Dan the demonstrator took over and was spinning around in the water, jumping on the top of the half pipe and riding up and down the wave with ease. Even though I fell a lot, I managed to make most of them as graceful as possible while sheets of water are rushing at you. Arielle was not so lucky. Every fall seemed to get more ridiculous than the last, with the grand finale being Arielle’s bare bottom accidently exposed to the cheering crowd.

 

Cricket Pizza

Arielle: On Twitter last Saturday, I asked my followers to give me some Stampede dares. One of the few dares that did not have serious repercussions was to eat Cricket Pizza. Now last Saturday, I was game for it. But after an entire week of thinking about the creepy crawlers, I had the jitters.

 

The worst part? Seeing the crickets face-to-face. I only have two words: absolutely horrifying. They appeared to be looking at me in their dead state. One even seemed to be praying before it had been cooked.

 

My first bite into the pizza wasn’t bad, I felt confident! Until I had felt a weird crunch. The cricket tasted like sunflower seeds (needless to say: I don’t like sunflower seeds anymore). After some minor panicking, I finished a good portion of the pizza. I offered it to random strangers… got some weird looks and a few laughs but they wouldn’t try it. I guess their moms told them to never accept cricket pizza from strangers.

 

A word of advice: if you’re gonna eat cricket pizza, be prepared for cricket legs in your teeth <<shudder>>. Reginald – thank you for the dare – it might have been terrible, but a great adventure.

NGC TWITPIC CONTEST: DAY #7

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Howdy Calgary!

It is day seven of the Calgary Stampede, which means we’ve been running our Next Generation Committee (NGC) Stampede contest for seven days!  There are just a few days left to take in all this #stampede100 has to offer… and we want YOU to be a part of the action. Every day during the 10-day show us NGC’ers are giving away some pretty great prizes- so make sure you stay tuned to the blog daily to find out what items/photos we’re on the hunt for.

Today I’m going to be giving away a pair of GMC Rangeland Derby and Evening Show tickets to one lucky follower- the tickets are for tomorrow night: Saturday, July 14. Don’t miss your chance to WIN and have your Saturday evening plans taken care of!

How?! Well it’s easy!

We are looking to add an item to our time capsule, a ticket stub from a past years Calgary Stampede (think gate entry, Rodeo/Chuckwagon ticket, or even a concert ticket). If you have this item and are willing to contribute it to the Calgary Stampede’s Centennial Time Capsule send us a twitpic of it! Dig around in your basement…dust off those boxes, and find us your piece of Stampede memorabilia!

Be sure to include our Twitter handle, @CS_NGC and the hashtag #CSTimeCapsule with your photo and you will be eligible to win. This is not a timed contest….we’ll be accepting entries all day until 10pm. So take photos often, we want to see our twitter feed buzzing!

Winners will be notified at the end of the day by direct message (so make sure you’re following us!). From there we will ask for your email address …so make sure you check your messages!

Curious to find out more about the Time Capsule Project? Then check out our our website and for more information about our twitpic contest check this blog our NGC’er Christina posted!

Good luck cowboys and cowgirls!

NGC Twitpic Contest: Day #7 – Win Johnny Reid Tickets!

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Good Morning Calgary!

It is day 7 of the Calgary Stampede and that means it is day 7 of our Next Generation Committee Stampede contest.

Today you could win Johnny Reid tickets for Friday, July 13th!

How?!

Well it’s easy!

We are looking to add a Stampede Midway Stuffed Animal to our time capsule. If you have this item and are willing to contribute it to the Calgary Stampede’s Centennial Time Capsule please send us a twitpic of it!

Be sure to include our Twitter handle, @CS_NGC and the hashtag #CSTimeCapsule with your photo and you will be eligible to win. Entries will be accepted until 10:00pm tonight. So please have us your entry by then!

Winners will be notified at the end of the day by direct message (so make sure you’re following us!). From there we will ask for your email address (so make sure you check your messages!).

Good luck cowboys and cowgirls!

For more about the Time Capsule Project check out our website.

For more information about the contest check out this blog.

Square dancing, Tequila shots, Chicken Poop Bingo & Old Time Rigs

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On Tuesday, we were up bright and early to join a mini parade, blocking downtown with Old Time Rigs (which are antique horse drawn carriages). We were with the Downtown Attraction Committee (DTA), about to enjoy some downtown festivities in the hot sunshine. What’s the DTA’s background? This group started in 1947 with a group of square dancers, travelling downtown in the back of a rig, dancing. Sounds like a party and the DTA today reflects just that.

 

We hopped off the Old Time Rig and walked to Olympic Plaza. Here, we enjoyed a chuckwagon sandwich: pancakes & bacon.

 

Next up: square dancing on Stephen Ave. The excitement from the Fluor Square Dancing Team was contagious – I was quickly thrown into dancing. Either I was born to square dance, or Wilson is quite the coach. I found myself confidently square dancing a storm smack in the middle of Stephen Ave. I’ll never look at this street I walk down during my lunch break the same. (Note: the Fluor Square Dancing team is on the lookout for more young, male square dancers to keep the tradition alive. Guys: trust me on this one – women dig men who can dance.)

 

After quick recuperation from the heat with water and shade, it was time to meet the Hosting Committee at the Royal Canadian Legion Calgary #1. Steps in, we were greeted and offered drinks. Now when I am offered a free drink, I always suggest shots of tequila.  But the group did not know me well enough to realize I was kidding. Well… turns out the Hospitality Committee poured us double shots of tequila. Yuck. But we shot them; had some good laughs, a hilarious photo, and the end result wasn’t too bad either (like they say, it’s five o’clock somewhere).

 

A big source of excitement for the DTA is their pet chicken, Buffy. Chicken poop bingo (“which square will Buffy do her business on”) could quite possibly be a reason why they love Buffy so much. As soon as we realized what was happening, Jovita whispered to me: “I could get into this kind of gambling”.

 

While the crowd was cheering on Buffy, I looked and saw, to my horror: decapitated mascots. The DTA has 10 mascots, including: a pig, goose, beaver, cow, horse, bear, cowboy, moose, racoon, bull, Jack, and (a very promiscuous) Jackie. These mascots are a part of this community through and through, and took off their mascot heads to enjoy the fun (nonetheless scared me)! After some good laughs, I tried a mascot’s head on. It’s not as fun as you would think… I think claustrophobia was kicking in.

 

This team is full of energy and warmth. After finding out there are over 325 volunteers in this committee, I know there is a lot more happening behind the scenes. Thank you to the DTA team and DTA sponsor, Fluor Engineers Constructors, for creating such free excitement downtown. Your graciousness does not go unrecognized.

The Friendly Faces of Stampede: Volunteer Profile – Jodi Wilson

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Jodi Wilson is the Chair of the Downtown Attractions Entertainment Sub Committee, whose full time job is Legal Counsel at ARC Resources Ltd.  Luckily, her company is very supportive of community minded volunteering, as are so many in Calgary.

They have a lot of fun events at Fluor Rope Square (AKA Olympic Plaza) every morning, but the two that stand out most for Jodi this year are the Lammle’s Hat Stomp on Wed, July 11th for tickets to the sold out Brad Paisley show, as well as the Deric Ruttan concert, which will be at Rope Square on the Friday, July 13th at noon.

 

1)  What year did you become a Stampede volunteer and why did you decide to get involved? 

I became a volunteer in 2004.  I was given the opportunity to get involved through friends on the Rope Square committee and jumped at the chance!  I’m from small town Saskatchewan so grew up very community minded and loved the cowboy way of life!

2)  What are one or two of your favorite Stampede memories? 

Standing behind the chutes at the Rodeo, going to the barn parties after the Chuck wagon races and answering questions for visitors to our city about what to see and do during Stampede.

3)    What Stampede experience or event are you looking forward to the most this year? 

Tails!  Garth Brooks!

4)    What’s your favorite midway food? 

Corn on the cob.

 5)  What’s your best advice for a fun Stampede? 

Hydrate and pace yourself!

 

If you have any special memories of volunteering at the Calgary Stampede we’d love to hear them! The Next Generation Committee is collecting your best memories and moments to include in the #TimeCapsule.  Please email yours to: calgarystampede.ngc@gmail.com.

 

For more information on Calgary Stampede volunteer opportunities please click here.

Farming Amongst the Skyscrapers

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BMO kids day started with going to the pancake breakfast and showing off her newly acquired flapjack talents (thank you Stampede Caravan Committee!). Volunteers from the Stampede and BMO alike flocked to the stations and the families were fed and watered. Jovita met the BMO Junior Reporters, who were big celebrities at the breakfast. They were being interviewed by TV stations, had a personal camera man who followed them around, and even got a special balloon hat from the clown (jealous!). There could not have been a more worthy pair in the crowd, their smiles were infectious.

 

At lunch time on kid’s day, we went to collect fresh milk for the cookies in our RV (yum!).            We met Debbie Lee, who showed us the new Alberta Milk display, which has a practice milking machine! We both beat the posted farmer’s time (but may have a had a helping hand from Debbie). Now that we had earned our milking stripes, it was time to try it out on Holstein Delilah. We brought her outside so that the kids could watch as Jovita struggled and Arielle excelled in the hand milking portion. After this we deftly attached the machine and Debbie explained the pasteurization process to the kids. Even though right after we were done Delilah decided to poop on our boots, we both managed to give her some love in the form of nose kisses.

 

We spent the afternoon hanging out at the Barns with the Calgary Stampede Chuckwagon Committee. Walking through the Shed Rows was nothing short of surreal. The horses were strong, beautiful, and spirited. Arielle felt like she was in the movie Seabiscuit.

(Arielle: I’m not gonna lie – I’m okay with cows, but there’s something about horses that terrify me. I’m pretty sure this one wanted to eat me.)

 

 

 

If you’ve been to the Stampede this past week, you will understand how uncomfortable we were from the heat at times. Well, thank the lucky stars, we found some AC – followed by loud cheering from the two of us.

NGC TWITPIC CONTEST: DAY #6

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Good Morning Stampede City!

It is day six of the Calgary Stampede and that means the sixth day of Next Generation Committee (NGC) Stampede contest.  The energy in Calgary is contagious and we’d love for YOU to be a part of the action. Every day during the 10-day show us NGC’ers are giving away some pretty great prizes- so make sure you stay tuned to the blog daily to find out what items/photos we’re on the hunt for.

Today I’m going to be giving away a pair of GMC Rangeland Derby and Evening Show tickets to one lucky follower. These are some of the most sought after event tickets in town….don’t miss your chance to WIN!

How?! Well it’s easy!

We are looking to add an item to our time capsule, a past years Stampede Planner. If you have this item and are willing to contribute it to the Calgary Stampede’s Centennial Time Capsule send us a twitpic of it! Dig around in your basement…dust off those boxes, and find us your piece of Stampede memorabilia!

Be sure to include our Twitter handle, @CS_NGC and the hashtag #CSTimeCapsule with your photo and you will be eligible to win. This is not a timed contest….we’ll be accepting entries all day until 10pm. So take photos often, we want to see our twitter feed buzzing!

Winners will be notified at the end of the day by direct message (so make sure you’re following us!). From there we will ask for your email address …so make sure you check your messages!

Curious to find out more about the Time Capsule Project? Then check out our our website and for more information about our twitpic contest check this blog our NGC’er Christina posted!

Good luck cowboys and cowgirls!