[Locke]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Although it wasn['t my intention, I did get some last minute seats for the Grandstand Show and chucks. Great seats. We went to the grounds and had a blast. My 4 year old wanted to try a few games and I'll be damned if a dart she recklessly threw towards the carnie didn't stick in the star and she won a penguin toy. After that all she wanted to do was play games.

She loved the chucks - horses are her thing. We had her dressed up pretty good in a cowboy shirt and belt I wore when I was 3, some great boots that my mom found for her, and her hat. She kept getting stopped by people who told her how good she looked, which for any girl - even at 4 years old - really makes them feel great.

THe grandstand show though - wow. It's been a few years since I have been to the show and this year was awesome. I actually quite enjoyed it. My daughter though, it blew her mind. People up in the air, the people on the bikes, the fact that there were kids doing the singing and dancing AND it was in Canada = too much to take. her jaw was on the floor the whole time. She instructed me that each time we (meaning she) saw something amazing we were to clap. If she wasn't clapping the entire time, she was dancing in or on her seat. The flames as part of the fireworks scared her, but in an exciting way as I saw her peeking through her hands. She sang along (really loud) to the music even though she didn't know the words. She loved seeing all the cowboys and cowgirls (meaning basically anyone in a hat and a dress or jeans). It really was a fantastic experience for her. She passed out on the train on the way home. I know I've had a few good stampede days that ended up with me passing out on the train, it might be in the genes. We won another prize on the way home that she is claiming that she won (because it's a huge one) - she slept with it last night.

I had a lot of really good times at the stampede. As a kid it's about the rides and maybe your dad or stepdad can win you a prize. Perhaps a treat or two as well. As a teenager it's about impressing the girls. In university it was about nashville north and trying to keep your eyes on your date instead of the other girls strutting around.

As a parent now though, I can still say that the event was fantastic and was probably the best Daddy-Daughter day I've had since becoming a father. The diversity of the spectacle was great. The integration of the western motif with the opportunity to have the animals so close. The way the city embraces it. The crowds and quality of the show. This will be something that my daughter never forgets.

One final comment - having lived in Edmonton for a while now it seems that the same three companies - PCL, Stantec and Rexall - are the sponsors at every single event. What really impressed me was the enormous corporate participation at the stampede. From the different sponsors at the different events, to seeing businesses embrace it, I can tell you that even fairly affluent cities (like Edmonton) don't see anywhere near this level of participation from a corporate level. This integration into the civic identity and environment is what defines a city, and Calgary should be proud of it. I was damned proud last night to have grown up here.

And thats the Stampede in a nutshell right there.