News Photo Anna Smith
Pictures of MHES preparations underway on the Stampede Grounds as staff and volunteers all look towards Wednesday at Noon.
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Things are well underway down at the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede Grounds, all in preparation for the opening of this year’s festivities.
Gates, tents and stages can be seen on the grounds, as staff, committee members and other volunteers all work to ensure that everything is ready on time for Wednesday.
“Committees have already been starting to come in and starting to set up the Arts and Better Living shows. They’ve been in last weekend and last week all sitting up there,” said MHES general manager Ron Edwards. “Rodeo and free entertainment have been in and setting up, this has been a busy place the past few days.”
Starting Monday, activity began to pick up in earnest, with food vendors and West Coast Entertainment’s travelling Midway moving into their designated areas.
Edwards is looking forward to everything being in place for Wednesday, and to deliver another year of entertainment and the Western Lifestyle for everyone.
“Our free entertainment is as good as ever. We have pig racing this year, which we haven’t had for about 15 or 20 years, and that’s going to be an exciting event,” said Edwards. “We have a full-fledged rodeo again this year, with some of the best cowboys and the best stock in the world coming here to Medicine Hat.”
He expresses gratitude to the volunteers and staff who have been working exceptionally hard to make everything possible in the weeks leading up to Stampede, as well as all of the entertainment, vendors and other community members who take part.
“We have a lot of pride in what we do, what the staff do, and also what the committees are doing, they’re all volunteers,” said Edwards. “They take pride in what they do. They have passion for the organization. And that’s what it takes to put on a good show, you can’t do it all by yourself.”
Stampede is also MHES’ biggest annual chance to draw in people to the city, as it is a well-known tourist attraction, which is a significant positive impact for the local economy, Edwards says.
“We do this for a lot of different reasons, but one of the biggest rewards is what the community gets out of it,” said Edwards.
Stampede kicks off on Wednesday at noon, with admission to the grounds just $4 until 3 p.m. The day will have sheep shearing and 4-H stick horse barrel racing at Country in the City, and Doc Walker with Rent to Own begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Grandstand.
The Stampede Parade will begin downtown at 9 a.m. on Thursday, which is also Military Day at the Stampede. Professional Rodeo will begin at 5 p.m, with grandstand night show Tim & the Glory Boys beginning at 9 p.m.
Friday is Methanex Kiddies’ day, with free admission for those 12 and under and $4 admission for everyone else until 3 p.m.
Professional Rodeo, which will also have the MHES Stampede Queen and Princess Crowning during Intermission, will begin at 8 p.m. on Friday.
The final day of the Professional Rodeo will continue at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, with Grandstand night show Crash Test Dummies with Wide Mouth Mason at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, Friday and Saturday will all have fireworks starting at approximately 10:45 p.m.
