Calgary Stampede Update

 

This year I visited the Calgary Stampede and it was a very enjoyable time for me. I met a father and daughter in line at the event, they were from New Hampshire, and told me about their time in Calgary. It was the first time at Stampede, and I told them to have a wonderful time. They were very nice to talk to.

This year I cut back on the amount of food I usually purchase. I had a fancy hotdog ($15.00), a Filipino dessert called Maha Maha ($16, is that the spelling?), 1 cold beer ($12), some chips and other junk I cannot even remember. 

The crowds were massive, I went on a Monday, and it was hot as hell wearing a Texas cowboy hat and boots. I don't think I ever sweated as much as I did on that day. I headed into the Big Four tent to enjoy a cold beer while people took turns riding the mechanical bull.

I used Calgary Transit to get to the grounds, walking from my apartment to Heritage Station. I was shocked at how hot the C-train was, even with air conditioning on, it didn't help contain the sweltering heat. 

If you're expecting a write-up about the Rodeo or the grounds, don't bother. I actually purchased some cologne from a nice young woman in the vendor area (a nice air-conditioned place) which also had art on display.

After spending almost 3 hours on site, I decided to head home, it was hot, and dammit, I was getting tired of walking. I switched out to my running shoes, placing the cowboy boots in the bag, along with my hat. It was too hot to wear all day.

I did some price checking on the Rodeo show, and it was a bit more expensive than I wanted to spend. The seats I wanted were over $250 and quite frankly, I had been there before during corporate events years ago. I was fine not attending this year.

I wasn't interested in the rides nor the gambling stations on the grounds. I heard people complaining about the high cost of some of the gambling stations - like $10 throws for tiny plushy cowboy boots. I get it. I wasn't interested in the side attractions.

A lot of young people attended, and the music was absolutely blasting near the scary rides like the roller coaster. It reminded me of the Winnipeg Exhibition. 

I heard good things about the stage and music that played during the week. Honestly, I would have gone back, but I had determined that one visit was enough for me this year - maybe next year I'll go twice. 

And finally - did I go to an evening show or Cowboys? No. In fact, I was thinking about heading out but never committed to it. I figured out the crowds would be massive, people might be rude, and I could save money by not attending. If you're 20 years old, go for it. Being 56, it wasn't a wise decision, I have no patience for rude people.

I'll have more posts about Stampede in the next few weeks!

CS