By Omran Wahidy

City MLAs host community BBQ jump-starting Stampede Week

Jul 26, 2023 | 9:51 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Medicine Hat MLAs hosted a community barbeque Wednesday night to help kick off Stampede week festivities.

Premier and Brooks-Medicine Hat MLA Danielle Smith and Cypress-Medicine Hat MLA Justin Wright headlined the event at Kinette Picnic Shelter in Kin Coulee Park from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday.

Smith took the podium to acknowledge the event’s history and community.

“Medicine Hat, actually their stampede predates the founding of our province in 1887. So you can just imagine, that a festival that has managed to go on for over 100 years is exactly where people want to be.”

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The community barbeque included free burgers, hotdogs, and live music that garnered a crowd of around 300 people.

“It’s great. I mean we are going to keep on doing this year after year. Hopefully be able to bring more people out year after year, and I can’t wait to be in the parade tomorrow, where we are likely to see thousands of people. I think it’s going to be amazing,” says Smith.

For Smith, the trip to Medicine Hat is more complex than enjoying the stampede. With many issues on the horizon, the community becomes key.

“Well you have to be in the community to find out the issues that are on people’s mind. I think we have had a number of years where there has been a lot of turmoil and polarization. I think people just want to have some fun and life to be back to normal, and I think this is the first summer where people are really feeling like things are returning to normal.”

Regarding the city council Smith says, “I always try to meet with the mayor in council, so they have given me their priorities and I will make sure I take that back to the legislature.”

The 2023 Medicine Hat Stampede runs July 26-29. Premier Smith will partake in the Stampede parade downtown at 9 a.m. Thursday.