By Charles Lefebvre

Organizers excited for next week’s Exhibition & Stampede

Jul 18, 2018 | 4:15 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — One week from Wednesday, the spirit of the West will be present in Medicine Hat.

The Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede returns on July 25th, and will run until July 28th. It’s the 131st edition of the annual event.

“Everybody’s really looking forward to it,” said Jim MacArthur, general manager of the organization. “We truly have Stampede weather now, nice and hot, and the weather forecast is looking good, even if it might be a little warm. The volunteers have been working very hard, the staff have been working very hard, so I think we’re just about ready.”

The event features several activities for all ages, including the midway, the rodeo, Country in the City and entertainment on the free stage.

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MacArthur says the organization tries to balance bringing in new activities and attractions each year and ensuring they pay tribute to tradition and what people enjoy seeing.

He adds heritage will always be important at the Stampede.

“One of the things that we hold ourselves out to be is a bringing together or urban and rural people,” he said. “I think that one of the important things as time goes on will be for an agricultural society like ourselves to be a window into agriculture.

“The rural population is getting a bit smaller. The urban population is getting a bit further removed from rural and farming activities, and so it will be important for us to always be able to demonstrate that.”

MacArthur says he enjoys seeing families making memories at the event every year.

“That’s what it’s all about,” he said. “We’ve got unique experiences that I think people will keep in their memories for a long, long time. It could be midway, it could be rodeo, it could be night show, just the experiences on the grounds I think are a great thing for family memories.”

Several events through the week will help get residents in the mood for the Stampede.

The Stampede Store Decorating Contest saw 20 businesses enter this year. Judging takes place on Monday.

The annual Stampede Parade runs July 26th beginning at 9 a.m. through downtown Medicine Hat. There are currently 93 entries, with the deadline to enter being Friday at 4 p.m.