Parade kicks off Whoop-Up Days
As far as weather goes, Whoop-Up Days organizers are one-for-one.
As floats lined up Tuesday morning in the Park Place mall parking lot, many people putting last-minute touches on their parade entries noticed the smoke-free skies.
Rudy Friesen, Exhibition Park president and CEO, said they’ll take it.
“Weather looks great — we’re pretty excited,” he said just before the 2018 Whoop-Up Days parade began.
“Last year was our 120th and there was a lot of buzz. This year is more of that back to business as usual. There’s some different things at the park as far as set up and we’re really looking forward to it. There’s always something special about Whoop-Up Days. It’s a signature community event and we’re proud to put it on for the community.”
“It’s definitely the event of the year,” said Coun. Blaine Hyggen, who was riding in Exhibition Park’s trolley car for the parade. “It’s just fun to see people happy and enjoying the time. The parade is always fantastic.”
This year’s honorary parade marshals were the Rotary Clubs of Lethbridge, who are celebrating a century in the city.
“When we first started this club 100 years ago, we actually held our meetings at the Lethbridge Exhibition,” said Rotary past president Nick Nicolacopoulos.
“So we have a history with the Exhibition. And now 100 years later, it’s kind of fitting that we now march in the Whoop-Up parade hand-in-hand with the Exhibition. We’ve very happy to do it, because this is our city, this is our community, this is where we serve, this is where we make a difference — we’re very happy to be in the parade this year.”
The parade’s Grand Aggregate float winner was the Ninastako Cultural Centre/White Feathers, which featured a decorative truck, Blackfoot regalia, past champion saddles and equine riders.
“It’s something for us to do to show our culture,” said Gloria Wells with the Ninastako Cultural Centre. “It’s really something to take part in something like this for the community of Lethbridge and our reserve. We’d like to thank the city of Lethbridge for having something like this.”
Tuesday also featured the Fair Food Challenge, Exhibition board president Mike Davis’s kickoff party, and a concert by rock band The Sheepdogs.