Medicine Hat Stampede GM says they took lessons from Calgary’s experience

The Calgary Stampede was one of the first major events since Alberta lifted almost all COVID public health measures on Canada Day.

Attendance there dropped more than 50 per cent compared to 2019. Medicine Hat Stampede general manager Kara Brake thinks Medicine Hat will fare better since Calgary relies on a lot of out-of-province and out-of-country travellers in a regular year.

“The nice thing about Medicine Hat is we typically don’t see those international travels, we see really a regional approach,” Brake says. “Some people from Saskatchewan some from B.C. but a lot from Alberta. So we are expecting to be at pretty close to normal numbers.”

Brake says tickets sales are going well for the rodeo and the Hunter Brothers show.

Brake adds they watched Calgary closely and learned some lessons about increased sanitizations stations and will still encourage physical distancing where possible.

They also saw some things in Calgary they won’t be bringing here.

“We’re not doing proof of vaccination so that’s something a little bit different but there is a little bit of difference in how many cases they have in Calgary and how many cases we have here in Medicine Hat,” she said.

Medicine Hat Stampede also won’t be using rapid tests as were used at the Calgary Stampede.

Brake also says that with weather conditions the way they are, the fire department has said they can not do fireworks next week.

For more information on Stampede or tickets go to mhstampede.com, call 403-527-1234 or visit the Stampede office in person.

by Chris Brown

Medicine Hat Stampede GM says they took lessons from Calgary’s experience

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