Workers with West Coast Amusements set up rides and stocked booth on the midway Tuesday at the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede grounds ahead of today's opening of the annual event. - NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
The Medicine Hat Stampede grounds are ready for another go-round.
The annual fair opens today after furious preparations on Tuesday saw rides go up on the midway, rodeo stock delivered, booths erected, curtains drawn, and spit and polish applied to the exhibition grounds ahead of four days of summer frolic.
“It’s awfully busy with a lot of people going in different directions,” reported Medicine Hat Stampede general manager Ron Edwards at noon on Tuesday, about 24 hours before the gates open at lunch hour Wednesday.
That should be accompanied by more reasonable temperatures than previous years and certainly more enjoyable than during the heat wave to start the week.
A heat warning that pushed temperatures above 35C on Monday could recede slightly, though temperatures in the 30C range are now expected to remain through the four-day event.
The week kicked off with a well-attended Summer Jam concert in record-breaking heat on Monday night, remarked Edwards, who felt heat has a less-than-expected effect on the size of crowds.
“If it is cooler that would be better, especially in the afternoons, but we’re expecting big crowds,” he said. “We’ve had great participation on our (rodeo and night show) pre-sales, so it should be a big year.”
Attendance recovered over the past two years following the cancellation in 2020. The Stampede board hopes to continue that trend with the potential of more Hatters staying closer to home during the vacation months.
At the grounds they’ll be treated to annual favourites, such as the Spruce Meadows Prairie Dogs, free stages, Country in the City, trade shows, the Better Living exhibit (in the air conditioned Cypress Centre) and Pioneer Village and petting zoo.
“A lot our good stuff is back,” said Edwards, adding the headline attractions are notable, too.
“There are a few new rides on the midway, the rodeo is always a crowd pleaser, and the night shows are three brand-new entertainers for us,” he said.
Country artist Dean Brody opens three nights of main stage shows with a performance tonight at the grandstand.
The annual parade is set for Thursday morning, ahead of gates at noon, and the opening go-round of the pro rodeo that night as well as a night show featuring country artist Joe Nichols.
Friday night rodeo continues on Methanex Kiddies Day, while the afternoon go-round on Saturday will make way for the “I Love the ’90s Tour” on Saturday night, featuring Vanilla Ice, Color Me Badd and C+C Music Factory.
Fireworks conclude each day with a display scheduled for approximately 10:45 p.m.
