The Calgary Stampede is the self-proclaimed ‘Greatest Outdoors Show On Earth’, and the rodeo, exhibition and festival has been running for over 100 years. In this article, Sandy Hamilton gets caught up in the event’s final day.
[mc4wp_form]
Calgary Stampede concludes for another year
On the last day of the Calgary Stampede the city issues a severe thunderstorm warning. Lightning flashes through the sky and the thunder shake buildings. In some areas of the city there is flooding, hail, and power outages––but people still file through the doors of the Stampede to attend the final day of the festival.
Despite the heaviness of the rain, the air smells of deep-fried food and sugary treats. The sweet smells of cinnamon and sugar drift from the mini donut stand, which is stationed near the entrance. As usual, it is crowded with people, clutching little paper bags spotted with grease and heaping with tiny, sugary donuts.
Because of the weather, Stampede-goers seem to drift around the grounds with hesitancy common to those venturing out after a bad storm. Even though the sky is still dark with clouds, the midway is bright and colorful; the rides flash with urgency, blissfully unaware of the rain.
I stand near the mini donut booth, wondering where to go next, because my plan is to seek out my first deep-friend delicacy of the day. This year, as every year, Stampede vendors offer strange and delightfully greasy foods for purchase: the mini donut popsicle; the $50 ogre cone; red velvet chicken stripes; peanut butter and jelly funnel cake; glazed donut grilled cheese; and lobster corn dogs.
Despite all the giant signs depicting delicious and unusual foods, I decide on the red curry poutine. It comes in a small cardboard box and is topped with grilled chicken, green onions, and caramelized onions, all covered with a delicious red curry saucy. The Poutine King charges extravagant prizes for these little meals, but there’s no way around that.
Attractions
As every year, there are a large number of attractions scattered amongst the games and rides, including the agricultural tent. Poutine in hand, I stand watching the cattle, sheep and swine show, as little children and their parents push past to get a better view of the animals. The tent smells strongly of farm animals and doesn’t do much for my appetite; I go back out to the glittering, hectic crowds of people.
It’s quickly obvious that the rain has driven most of the Stampede guests indoors (for the moment), leaving the lines for the rides startlingly small. They flash, music blaring, sirens sounding, and beckon. Taking advantage of this rare and wonderful opportunity, we jump onto our first ride of the day: The Zipper. The ride looks much like it’s name: a giant zipper, packed with small two-seater compartments that swing 360 degrees. This ride, like many, is famous for sending peoples’ pocket change falling to the ground like glittering bouts of rain.
Although it doesn’t take long for people to realize the sun is out and the afternoon is warm again, the rides move quickly despite their startling length. In a couple hours, I’ve hit all the best rides, including the one I didn’t think I had the nerve for: The Drop of Doom. This ride is, without a doubt, the most frightening and, although I had been on it before, I was nervous. When I finally made it to the front of the line and the nonchalant ride attendant had buckled me in, I wondered if I made a mistake. Then the ride started moving and I knew I made a mistake. The ride begins its 130 foot ascent where, then, it dangled high in the air–for a seemingly long, long time–over the Stampede grounds, before plummeting.
SuperDogs
After dropping from this superior height, I needed a break: the SuperDogs. It plays multiple times a day during the Stampede and is a great way to take a break. It’s also insanely cute. Dogs of all breeds and sizes impress the audience by running through obstacle courses, leaping over bars, and answering skill-testing questions.
The SuperDogs ends at 8:00 p.m. It is still warm outside, but the setting sun has cooled everything off dramatically. The sky is beginning to dim and it’s possible to see, for the first time, the light of the midway rides. Although it is getting late, I plan to stay to see the fireworks. The Grand Stand show was sold out for the last night of the year, but it’s still possible to watch the fireworks from other parts of the grounds. Being the last night of the Stampede this year, I know the fireworks are going to be the longest and best they have been all week. But since they don’t start until 11:00 p.m., there’s still time to explore, and the one place I haven’t been yet is the Big Four building.
Inside the Big Four there are hundreds of vendors with stalls set up to market their product. In years past, I have bought a Vitamix and a steam cleaner––for a good price, despite the impulsivity of the purchase. Every year they have a motor home, massage chairs, and giant hot tubs; they have kitchen products, clothing, mattresses, kids toys, and games. For the first time this year they have a long section of Etsy stalls, with sellers displaying beautiful handmade earrings and greeting cards. But, most importantly, there is more food: fudge, caramel apples, pizza, and cotton candy, to name a few. It’s been a long time since my poutine, so I buy a pineapple whip and walk around the vendors in a daze, spooning ice cream into my mouth.
Music
Back outside, there is loud music coming from the Coca-Cola stage. There’s a huge crowd dancing and pushing to the music, but I don’t recognize who is playing. Despite the relatively small-scale of the stage––and the fact that the show is free to anyone who wants to go––the Stampede has managed to secure some pretty big names during the last few years. Playing this year, to name a few, were Vance Joy, Lights, Ok Go, the Arkells, and Calgary native, Kiesza.
It’s almost time for the fireworks and the midway will soon be closing. There are, it seems, more people here now than at any other point of the day. Like an animal coming out of hibernation, everyone is exiting the buildings to wait for the fireworks.
Fireworks Finale
Night has fallen and the sky is dark. The lights of the midway are light up in a beautiful array of colors––flashing and blinking to the music that swells from every corner of the grounds. The arcade games beep and ring as winners earn their prizes of large, stuffed animals. The SkyRide overhead continues to transport people from one side of the park to the other. Amidst the music, the bing-bing-bing of the games, and the squealing siren of the Polar Express, the first firework explodes in the sky.
A hush and a small smattering of cheers erupt before the fireworks begin in earnest. The Stampede grounds are loud, but the fireworks are louder: they explode in the sky, shooting colors every direction. People clap and cheer, settling down with cotton candy or popcorn to watch. Sitting on a bench, mini donuts on my lap, I watch too as the Calgary Stampede ends for another year.
By Sandy Hamilton