The event would have been significantly easier to hold in August rather than July, Nenshi said; however, switching dates turned out to be too difficult
Jason Herring
Employees from Warner Shelter Systems Limited work on the Nashville North structure on the the Stampede grounds in Calgary on Thursday, May 27, 2021.Photo by Jim Wells/Postmedia
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The Calgary Stampede will return to the city in six weeks, marking Canadas first large-scale event since the COVID-19 pandemic began more than a year ago.
But despite Premier Jason Kenneys proclamation Wednesday that the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth could return with full participation, the annual celebration will be scaled down this year.
Stampede 2021 will look different. Its not going to be the Stampede you remember from 2019, said Calgary Stampede spokeswoman Kristina Barnes.
We will have modified experiences. So many of the things people know and love about Stampede will certainly be back. . . . But they will be presented differently and laid out differently at Stampede Park, with a big focus on outdoor experiences especially.
It will be familiar things that look different.
One mainstay absent from this years Stampede is chuckwagon races, a decision met with frustration from Alberta athletes. The Grandstand Show will also be scaled back, with planned headliner Paul Brandt not performing.
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Other traditional Stampede attractions, including the midway, Nashville North tent, rodeo and agriculture shows will continue, albeit with some significant adjustments.
The summer event is opting not to fully open up these experiences despite Kenney pledging all Stampede attractions will be possible under its three-part strategy to fully open Alberta by July, as long as 70 per cent of Albertans eligible to receive their first COVID-19 shot get immunized.
Both Barnes and Calgary Mayor Naheed Nenshi said the province did not provide advance notice of the plan to ease restrictions, which aligns with the start of Stampede.
Nenshi, who also sits on the Stampede board, said the fact all Albertas public health restrictions could be rescinded will not change things about the events approach to safety.
We dont want to send the message here that we dont believe that COVID was a thing, that we are being reckless in any way, Nenshi said.
But we want to also be able to say to folks that there is life post-pandemic. We honour what has happened, we honour front-line and essential workers, and thats going to be a big part of the Stampede.
The event would have been significantly easier to hold in August rather than July, Nenshi said, to allow more time for cases to decline and immunizations to occur. However, the mayor said switching dates turned out to be too difficult, even though no Stampede board member wanted to host the event in July.
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Regardless, Stampede will be able to pull together the event over the next six weeks due to contingency planning that has been ongoing for much of the past year, Barnes said.
Given the ups and downs weve gone through with the pandemic in the last year and a half, we knew wed have to continue to be flexible and adaptable, she said, adding organizers would have to continue to be flexible given theres no guarantee Alberta will enter the third phase of its reopening in time for the event.
In past years, Stampede has brought hundreds of thousands of people onto park grounds, with the 2019 attendance of 1,275,465 visitors marking the events second-highest attendance.
Barnes said part of this years planning is ensuring a lower attendance. Advance purchases of entry to the park or to certain attractions might be required as a crowd control measure.
There will be capacities on certain experiences and potentially the gate as well, she said.
In the past, when we have one of our special days, whether its Family Day or Kids Day or Seniors Day, we see thousands of people through the gates in a certain, small amount of time. This year, that will not happen.
When it comes to mask use, Nenshi said face coverings will be part of Stampede, but may only be required in some circumstances. Barnes said the Stampede would look to the city for mask guidelines and will follow whatever advice is in place.
Employees from Warner Shelter Systems Limited work on the Nashville North structure on the the Stampede grounds in Calgary on Thursday, May 27, 2021.Photo by Jim Wells/Postmedia
Chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw said Thursday that Alberta has looked to other jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and Israel, that have begun holding larger events. There is potential for COVID-19 transmission, she said, but work is being done to prevent it from being a superspreader event.
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I dont believe that the Calgary Stampede, if we achieve the target we are proposing, will be a significant risk to our health-care system, Hinshaw said.
Calgary Coun. Jyoti Gondek expressed some concerns Thursday about the speed of Albertas reopening plan, saying an immunization strategy is needed to ensure the timely delivery of second shots. Front-line workers will serve the public throughout the Stampede, she said.
People in service industries transit operators, taxi drivers, custodial workers theyre all going to be exposed to serving the public. (The province) needs to make sure they have vaccines, Gondek said, adding she wants to see those working and volunteering at Stampede have the chance to get their second shot by June 24, two weeks before opening day.
Barnes said the Stampede would encourage its staff and volunteers to get immunized and will recognize those who have done so.
Training on COVID-19 safety will be offered to staff and volunteers, and organizers are looking into rapid testing for these groups. Those working on the site could also be split into cohorts, Barnes said.
Kenney said Wednesday he would like to see a vaccine clinic erected on Stampede grounds during the event, while Nenshi added there will be a vaccine strategy aimed at getting Stampede attendees to roll up their arms for a shot.
Nenshi also didnt shut the door on the idea of tourists coming to Stampede from out-of-country, after Kenney said Wednesday he would lobby the federal government to allow Alberta to reintroduce a rapid testing program for international travellers to attend.
jherring@postmedia.com
Twitter: @jasonfherring
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