Sunny skies, brighter economy shine down on the Stampede
‘We’ve always been about making it bigger and better every year,’ says spokesperson
She’s bought the toddler-size jean skirt and white ruffled top, a cowgirl hat and a tiny pair of boots with itty-bitty heels.
In other words, Jennifer Booth is more than a little pumped about introducing her daughter, 18-month-old Zoey Seens, to the Calgary Stampede.
“She is amazed and awed by everything,” says the first-time mom. “I can’t wait to take her to the parade and, of course, the agriculture barns to see all the animals up close.”
Like so many born-and-bred Calgarians, Booth’s love of the annual 10 party days in our city comes naturally. “I’ve missed only one Stampede in my life,” she says, “and my first job as a teenager was working for Conklin, now North American Midway.”
These days, as the Calgary Stampede’s manager of public relations, Booth’s job is to get the word out on all the big show has to offer. For 2018, she’s feeling more upbeat than ever, as the Stampede rolls out new entertainment offerings, a 50th anniversary Grandstand Show and such stars as Sheryl Crow playing the free-of-charge (with park admission) Coca-Cola Stage. (For info on all events and schedules at the park, go to calgarystampede.com.)
“We’ve always been about making it bigger and better every year,” she says, “and this year, I think we’ve done that big time.”
While one can expect a publicity pro like Booth to put a sunny spin on all things Stampede, it’s still a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to the community’s current mood after a few years of a brutal economic downturn.
There was certainly good news this week when Alberta Finance Minister Joe Ceci presented the government’s financial results for 2017-18, which showed a lower-than-predicted $8-billion deficit. Much of that was thanks to rising oil prices that brought in income of nearly $5 billion, a good sight better than last year’s $1.9 billion.
Also this week, a new survey by Calgary Economic Development and the Calgary Chamber of Commerce found business owners and operators had a much more positive outlook, with 40 per cent planning to hire more workers, along with a significant rise in those saying business has improved over 2017 levels.
Some of those with Stampederelated businesses are still feeling the effects of a recession that officially ended in 2016.
“I’m finding this year a bit slow,” says Valerie Nimchuk, whose artwork can be found on store and company windows beginning each June. Nimchuk gets an average of 100 clients wanting western-themed cartoons and art, a favourite being paintings based on cartoons created by former Herald cartoonist Vance Rodewalt (she has Rodewalt’s blessing).
A few of her regulars, she says, have had to lay off staff the past couple of years due to the downturn. “If they’re letting people go, I can understand that they don’t want to spend money on something so visible,” she says. “Stampede painting on windows seems frivolous when people have lost their jobs.”
Over at Modern Steak, owner/ chef Stephen Deere has been seeing change, albeit of a more welcome nature.
“For a steak house, summer is the worst thing that can happen,” says Deere, who is now into his third year in the Kensington area. “Stampede is maybe the one time in summer when it can get busy.”
Deere, though, has been enjoying an uptick in customers at a time when, thanks to outdoor patios and backyard barbecues, business usually heads south.
“We normally see a drop of about 15 to 20 per cent in late June,” he says, noting instead an increase in traffic. “I haven’t seen this level of sales going into July in years, so we’re feeling more upbeat, not just about Stampede, but all of 2018.”
Over at Stampede Park, Kyle Corner is also confident the new offerings his team is rolling out for this year’s show will fulfil the promise of bigger and better.
Its newest venue, the Big Four Roadhouse, will see the old building on the grounds transformed into an entertainment centre boasting such big names as Whitehorse and Blue Rodeo, to supplement the more than 50 artists on the Coca-Cola Stage.
“The Big Four Roadhouse is our answer to trying to please everyone,” says Corner, the Stampede’s programming and entertainment manager. “We’ve got shows for the younger demographic, but also a lot of music to please folks of all ages.”
Then there’s the new thrill ride over the park, which just happens to be North America’s tallest and longest, multi-point zipline. “Just climbing the stairs is terrifying,” says Jennifer Booth of the new above-theground adventure. “That’s going to be one of our big attractions for this year.”
Over at the Grandstand Show, Rachel Avery is excited to be starring in a year that not only marks the 50th anniversary of the Young Canadians performance troupe, but also includes ’70s pop star Andy Kim and Eddie the Eagle, the British ski jumper who captured the hearts of millions at the Calgary ’88 Winter Olympics.
“I agreed to do the show before I even heard the lineup,” says Avery, a Los Angeles-based actor who got her start as a Young Canadian.
She also happens to be the granddaughter of Young Canadians’ founder, Randy Avery, and daughter of Bill Avery, the longtime producer of the Stampede’s Grandstand Show.
“This is so full circle for me,” says Avery, who has brought her three-year-old son, Max, along for the adventure.
“I can’t wait to experience the Stampede with him,” she says, adding with a laugh, “he’ll be so thrilled when he sees me flying through the air and over the stage.”
While she plans to keep her own feet firmly on the ground, Booth shares the excitement of seeing the Calgary Stampede through the eyes of her own child.
“I’ll be putting in some long days on the grounds,” says Booth, “but I’ll definitely take some time to show Zoey around.
“I’ve loved Stampede since I was a small child,” she adds, echoing the sentiments of so many other parents.
“I can’t wait to introduce it all to her.”