The madness has arrived. The city is now a corral, and the downtown core is abuzz with tourists and locals alike, espousing their best ‘howdy pardner’s’, cowboy hats, boots and denims. (I myself prefer an authentic pair of Wranglers and a pair of
Old Gringo designer cowboy boots.)
With Stampede 2009 underway, I have scouted out some of the must-sees, must-visits, and must-eats the grounds have to offer for the next seven days. So slather on the SPF, and like me, enjoy the following highlights:
Deep Fried Jelly Beans ($5/order)Interesting finger food concoctions are almost an entire reason on their own for making a beeline for the grounds. (Oh mini cinnamon-sugared donuts, I look forward to our yearly summer flings with a joie de vivre reserved for only the tastiest of pastries.)
This year however, another fried pastry has captured my fancy and catapulted to instant stardom. But just how to properly describe a deep fried Jelly Belly jelly bean? Think Timbits with a gooey jelly-bean surprise inside. Mmm...No, seriously, they’re good.
Rocktagon
Want to rock your world? Mine was blown in the upper level of the Big Four, inside the 100-foot wide and 20-foot high, 360-degree arena-style LED TV theatre, where music videos and 10-minute pre-programmed interactive shows make me zone out and flash-back to my rave days. (In a good way.)
Midway Circus
Acrobats, BMX trick bikers and celebrity pig races. Yes, you read right. Celebrity pig races. I don’t know about you, but the entertainment value of a Brad Pitt swine just elevated my Stampede experience.
Tornado Potato ($3.50)
The Stampede has long been famous for edible things on sticks. Corndogs, various spiced meats, cotton candy, and countless others. The stick of course performs a very critical function, as nibbling your foods a la wooden twig works best when navigating unpredictable
Stampede crowds. Which brings me to the deep-fried, delectably- seasoned potato spiral, perfectly stick-mounted. Kind of like french fries, but better. (Did I mention my affinity for foods on sticks?)
The Big Show
This year, the Grandstand Show has gone above and beyond. While the over-choreographed dancing, smiling and pre-recorded singing is still a major chunk, (sorry Young Canadians, I know this is kind of your bag), the addition of a little star power goes a long way. Incorporating live performances by the likes of Suzie McNeil, comic Sugar Sammy, and So You You Think You Can Dance’s Allie (Bertram) and Miles (Faber), this definitely ain’t—and watch my Cowboy-speak here—the same ol’ stroll ‘round the barn.