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July 27-30

‘Everything is back’: Four weeks until Medicine Hat Stampede

Jun 29, 2022 | 3:24 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – We Ride Again.

That’s the theme for Medicine Hat’s biggest party of the summer and it’s just four weeks away.

“It’s full bore ahead to get set up for all the different entities that we’re going to have this year for Stampede because it’s wide open. Everything is back,” says Ron Edwards, Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede general manager.

A full Stampede hasn’t happened in our city since 2019. Edwards says there is a lot of excitement among the more than 30 committees that put on the event, set this year for July 27-30.

Last year’s event was limited to the regular rodeo, a night show featuring Hunter Brothers and two days of the visual arts and better living exhibition.

This year the parade returns on July 28 and the buildings on the grounds will be filled with exhibitors and displays like Country in the City.

The midway is also back and Edwards says passes should be available at all South Country Co-op locations in the first few days of July.

“Full rides, over 30 rides and I do believe they have a couple of new ones and so they’re excited,” Edwards says of West Coast Amusements. Also back on the grounds are the community group raffles, six in total.

A full night show lineup is on tap again this year. Trace Adkins is on Wednesday, hometown girl MacKenzie Porter will perform Thursday and The Beach Boys and frontman Mike Love on Saturday.

A new lumberjack show is one of the many free entertainment options, along with the old favourites like the petting zoo and hypnotist.

“It’ll all come together at Stampede week,” says Edwards. “We have a first-class rodeo with Kesler Championship Rodeo Stock, we have a first-class night show this year with the packages, it’s great. Our carnival is back everybody loves carnival food and fair food. So I can’t see it being any different than in the past.”