We all know that in Southern Alberta the weather can be extremely unpredictable. Blue sky and sun one moment and storms the next, which pretty much summed up the weekend of the 2016 Strathmore Stampede.
From it’s early beginnings in 1966, Strathmore has held it’s annual fair – “Heritage Days” Rodeo on the long weekend in August. In 1985, the Heritage Days Rodeo turned pro and become sanctioned by the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association and in 1988, the Chuckwagon circuit added Strathmore to their roster.
The 90’s saw a change to the event where the focus was shifted to make this a family friendly, weekend full event with children’s entertainment, local entertainment stage, craft/bench show, livestock show, outdoor family entertainment show ring, machinery show, trade show, parade, midway and fireworks. The change to the annual event brought an increase in tourism to the town of Strathmore and has become a must attend tradition for local residents. 2003 saw another big addition to the event which keeps audiences thrilled – the Running of the Bulls..which is exactly what it sounds like.
Now transformed into what is known as the Strathmore Stampede, this event has become the largest community project hosted by the Agricultural Society and promoted by the 12,000 residents of Strathmore.
This event encompasses a major part of the Ag Society’s planning time and has community support with over thirty volunteer committee chairpersons and six hundred volunteers – most certainly an event that Strathmore is proud of.
This year, running July 29th – August 1st, the event saw some gorgeous sunny weather, but also some vicious summer storms blow through which caused the cancellation of the chuckwagon races on the Saturday evening.
This fifty year tradition is something that the Town of Strathmore takes great pride in and that event goers look forward to each year. Here’s to another fifty years!
