NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT Congregated riders from the Forsyth Ranch arena wave to the crowd on Third Street during the Stampede parade on Thursday, July 25, 2019.
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
With good weather, colourful floats, and even a surprise entry, the Medicine Hat Stampede parade went off without a hitch on Thursday, entertaining crowds that lined the route through the downtown core.
Featurings 120 entries, it was one of the largest staged, stated parade director Sheila Hubl-Leggo, who said attendees particularly enjoyed seeing Premier Jason Kenney, who arrived in town to take part largely unannounced.
“He added some surprise and I think a lot of people were happy to see him,” said Hubl-Leggo later in the day.
“The entire parade was fantastic.”
Kenney helped serve pancakes and sausage at that morning’s Medicine Hat public library Stampede breakfast located on the parade route, then trucked to the parade staging grounds in the North Flats before the 9 a.m. form-up of floats.
Along the route, some onlookers began applauding when they realized he was among the dignitaries.
In terms of protocol, Kenney rode alone in a convertible Buick Wildcat, behind Mayor Ted Clugston and the carriage of Stampede President Rick Cbel and honourary parade marshals Mark and Nichole Neubauer.
Filling out the dignitaries were MP Glen Motz, region MLAs Drew Barnes and Michaela Glasgo, then top elected officials from Cypress County, Redcliff and Maple Creek, then officials from CFB Suffield.
Led by pipers and horse-back flagbearers, the parade entered downtown portion of First Street near to its stated 9 a.m. start and the firetruck at the end of the line turned on to River Road at about 10:50 a.m.
With 120 entries, spectators lining the 13-block route were treated to karate demonstrations, bubble machines, mounted troops from several riding schools, gymnasts doing flips, and a wide variety of commercial entry floats.
Joanne Liddle and her two children took in the parade on Third Street for the third straight year since arriving in town from the United Kingdom.
“It’s a must-attend event for us,” she said.
Alexander Liddle, 6, was partial to fire trucks, his sister, Elenor, 4, liked the soldiers, and friend Jenny Urtman, 7, was most impressed by a haunted house float that was escorted down the streets by ghouls.
Soldiers from NATO, BATUS and Canadian Troops along with army, sea and air cadet squadrons, marched along the route. Clown cars sped along.
Bands in the back of trucks played on. Oilfield equipment, farm machinery and emergency response vehicles crept along city streets behind several horse drawn wagons.
The Raymond Samba band was one of few marching bands that provided a rhythm along the route.
Band teacher Ryan Heseltine, whose charges range from Grade 7 through 12, said that the drum group makes Medicine Hat one of three mainstay summer dates, including the Raymond (Alberta) Stampede.
“It is difficult to get kids to commit during the summer, but this is always a big highlight,” he said. “It’s all about fun.”
Also providing live music were the Medicine Hat Concert band and various Shrine entries.
Last year, then-Premier Rachel Notley visited the city on the day before the parade for a series of funding announcements and meetings. The parade in 2018 was attended by health minister Sarah Hoffman and Alberta Party Leader Stephen Mandel.
