Quote:
Originally Posted by J pold
Seriously, either you like the Stampede (at least some aspect of it) or you are wrong.
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I don't know...
I appreciate that the Stampede is a huge tourist draw and brings in a ton of money to the local economy, so I guess I like that aspect of it. As far as the Stampede itself, though, I'm completely indifferent. I wouldn't actively protest it like some do (Vancouver Humane Society, PETA, etc.), but I don't go to the grounds or watch the rodeo, chuckwagon races, and grandstand show (did all of that once for the experience, don't need to do it again), and I refuse to dress up in faux-cowboy garb instead of my usual professional work attire. I don't begrudge people who enjoy those things, but they're not my cup of tea.
There is one thing about the Stampede I really dislike: the way local businesses decorate their storefronts with straw/hay, fake wooden fences, and ugly window paintings.
I also wonder if the Stampede does a disservice to Calgary's image. We want to be seen as a modern, business-friendly, world-class city, not a town of hick redneck cowboys, yet our biggest showcase is putting on a 10-day event where everyone pretends to be hick redneck cowboys.