Throwback time! 1988 Opening Ceremony

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u61dC8RW4AA

The guy even included the old commercials! This is just the link to part 1.

The opening ceremony the other night had me feeling a little nostalgic. Even though I was only 7, I still have pretty fond memory of the ceremony. A bunch of kids from my school were part of it. I remember my friend's older sister was one of the girls in blue when they made the giant dove. And of course everything thing in school at the time was Olympic related. I still remember colouring Heidi and Howdy doing a bunch of sports. Good times!

Edit: Highlights!

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[flylock shox]

Wow.

Times have changed.

That almost looks like it should have been shot in black and white.

Edit: just because I googled it (http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=5a0bba15-0e6b-491a-81d6-2cf9b149b6d2).

[Flamesoholic]

Our Olympic song "Can't You Feel It" still to this day brings tears to my eyes. Performing in those ceremonies is one of the proudest moments of my life so far. I'm sure the other 4, 999 Calgarian performers all feel the exact same way.
I remember having our tears of incredible pride and excitement freeze to our faces while we were waiting for our cue to enter the stadium. We had to quickly check each other to make sure the ice was off our faces before we got in front of the cameras. I still have my costume.
Every moment from start to finish was just pure joy.

[pylon]

Very cool brings back awesome memories. I was 13 at the time, and still remember what a massively huge deal this was. A girl in my class performed in the ceremonies as some random dancer, and she was the biggest frikkin celebrity in the world to us. We can also thank those ceromonies for our big cheese wheel speaker at Mcmahon.

On a side note, what species of dinosaur is that? The Phallusaurus?

For you Flamesoholic.

UvHUPQH9JZs

I admit that song still sends chills up my spine. Not just playing the "I'm from Calgary card." but that song absolutely slays the 2010 theme. It was so energetic, and made you feel "something important is about to happen" which of course was the case. I practiced for hours after the opening ceremonies on the piano trying to master the chorus of this song. I just sat down at my keyboard, and I can still hammer out the better part of it 22 years later...lol.

[Art Vandelay]

My parents were there. I think they still have the colored "rain coat" thingys. I remember laying on my couch watching them, I had broken my leg skateboarding earlier that year. I was able to go to 2 events. One hockey game, Czech vs. Finland and a ski jumping event that was cancelled due to winds. Spent alot of time on 8th ave at night. Great fun. I hope we can get them back here someday, but I they are way too big, commercial and costly to put on these days.

[Flamesoholic]

Pylon you're awesome. Thanks.
Both my sister and I were in the ceremonies. She was one of the blue kids that made all the cool pictures and I was part of the "Tribute to the Flame" ballet portion (The girls in white dresses with red boots that performed with the Alberta Ballet dancers).
I also rememvber leavibng the stadium at the end of the ceremonies and having the athletes all leaving and running out with us. I meet Brian Orser and Kurt Browning was asked if I wanted to trade my costume's red earmuffs for their white cowboy hat (neither of us could trade even if we were really serious, but it was a cool memory).

I still remember every word to "Can't You Feel It", and you're right Pylon, that song just embodied (and in my opinion still totally does) the spirit of the Games and filled everyone with so much excitement, pride and goodwill. I don't remember having anyone protest at our Games but then again, I don't really know when Olympic protesting started. I remember the city being filled with people who all behaved like everyone they met was a long lost friend, and thinking how incredible that was. Because I was so young and because I was so overwhelmed by all the goodwill and joy that surrounded me, I honestly (and naively) began to believe that all the countries involved would be BFFs for good after that.
It was truly an amazing time and I hope most people in Vancouver are experiencing the same thing.

[Teh_Bandwagoner]

Calgary sure threw a wicked party!

Edit: Youtube won't allow embedding of this vid for whatever reason.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2VsivZ-9LY

[Phil Ivey]

Has a red neck feel to it.

[JBR]

Just returned from Vancouver. Calgary truly had the big party atmosphere and it showed in the closing ceremony video. Things in Vancouver are great.. but all corporate. Walk through the party zones (Live City) and there are corporate tents everywhere...

[pylon]

Has a red neck feel to it.

Which would make a ton of sense, since Calgary was a smaller "red necky" city at that time. It was also friendly, safe and quiet.

Ontario had to go and ruin all of that for us.

[Infamous1]

Our Olympic song "Can't You Feel It" still to this day brings tears to my eyes. Performing in those ceremonies is one of the proudest moments of my life so far. I'm sure the other 4, 999 Calgarian performers all feel the exact same way.
I remember having our tears of incredible pride and excitement freeze to our faces while we were waiting for our cue to enter the stadium. We had to quickly check each other to make sure the ice was off our faces before we got in front of the cameras. I still have my costume.
Every moment from start to finish was just pure joy.


I like the Can't you feel it song better than this years I Believe song. It was catchy!

[Flamesoholic]

Hey there's even a few seconds shot of me in this broadcast in part 27 around the 4:06-4:09 mark. haha
Ah those killer red witchy boots. Looked so awesome with the costume but were horrid to dance in with frozen toes.