Stampede Roundup: Rip-roarin’ racing kicks off with the WPCA and the Half Mile of Hell
By Ryan McCracken on June 7, 2024.
The Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede is getting geared up for another unforgettable summer of events, and it all gets going June 20 when the World Professional Chuckwagons Association rolls into town for four nights of action. The Half Mile of Hell will be in full swing Thursday through Sunday at the Stampede Grandstand, with all your favourite drivers returning for the annual display of true horsepower in the Hat. Three drivers square off in each heat, with the best aggregate times clashing in a Dash for Cash in Sunday’s 2 p.m. finale. When the dust from all that rip-roarin’ action finally settles, the Stampede will already be setting up for our annual Canada Day Celebration. We’re pulling out all the stops for this year’s party, so be sure to stop by for free hot dogs and water at noon, the Canada Day Ceremony at 1 p.m., free stage acts all day and a free concert in the evening featuring Foxx Worthee, Rent to Own, The Cruisers, Derek Hintz and Tim Herman. The afternoon will also feature a cake decorating contest, wagon rides, bouncy castles and other kids activities, as well as vendors, exhibits and demonstrations from local first responders and community groups, giveaways and much more. Closing out the evening at 11 p.m., we’ll be lighting up the sky with a Canada Day fireworks display. Don’t miss out on this free family event! The Stampede is also incredibly excited to announce we will be hosting Indian Relay Racing on Aug. 24 and 25. Dubbed North America’s original extreme sport, Indian Relay Racing tasks teams of riders with racing around our track and switching out horses every lap. Teams in this newly formed circuit will compete to qualify for a spot at next summer’s Calgary Stampede. The event is organized in collaboration with Travel Alberta and Indigenous leaders and experts to ensure the essence of Indian Relay Racing is respected and preserved. It is a celebration of North American Indigenous culture, and it’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. Tickets for Indian Relay Racing go on sale June 10 for $25, all in, at tickets.mhstampede.com, 403-527-1234 and the Stampede office. Tickets for our Aug. 10 Cars & Guitars grandstand concert also go on sale June 10 for $23 all in, featuring Morgan Klaiber and CCR tribute band Canadian Coldwater Revival. Come for the swap meet and stay for the stellar tunes, it’s sure to be a night you won’t forget! Ryan McCracken is sponsorship & marketing co-ordinator with the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede 11-10
