Mayor ready for the food and festivities of Whoop-Up Days

By Alexandra Noad - Lethbridge Herald Local Journalism Initiative Reporter on August 20, 2024.

As cooler days are quickly approaching, the City of Lethbridge is heating up for one last yee-haw of the summer.

Whoop-Up Days started as an agricultural fair in 1897 and has since grown to be a significant event for Lethbridge and area.

While the parade kicks off the official start of the week’s festivities today at 9 a.m., the pancake breakfasts started yesterday with both Rachael Thomas and Inclusion Lethbridge hosting theirs.

Mayor Blaine Hyggen says there will be no shortage of food available throughout the week.

“We’ll make sure we all have our stretchy pants on because there’s going to be a lot, I’m talking a lot of, pancake breakfast (and) barbecues throughout the week as well as, of course, I’m sure everybody’s looking forward to elephant ears and the different foods that they have out at the midway,” said Hyggen.

Following the parade community members can join Hyggen at City Hall for the Mayor’s Community Barbecue. They will be serving burgers, hot dogs along with chips and a drinks to the first 1,000 people. Local country singer Trevor Panczack will be performing and there will be face-painting for the kids.

Hyggen says the festival is a great time for the community to gather before the summer ends.

“Just the opportunity for everyone to get out and about and enjoy everything that Lethbridge has to offer and get over there to the exhibition because it’s going to be some great times over there,”

Whoop-up Days will offer something for everyone.

For the adrenaline junkie there will be plenty of rides on the midway as well as horse racing on Thursday-Saturday.

There will be lots of music from various bands such as headliners Big Sugar, Kyle Mckearney and Emerson Drive.

Those who enjoy cultural events can take in the Princess Pageant and Powwows happening at the Agri-Food Hub along with the Relay Races happening at the rodeo grounds.

Hyggen says Whoop-Up days is the perfect celebration to recognize the diversity Lethbridge has to offer.

“We are very multicultural within Lethbridge. You’ll see that in the different food booths and stuff that we will be having and how great that’s going to be. It’s important to get everybody out and (support) all the different cultures,”

Hyggen added he does have plans to partake in a couple of the powwows going on.

While Whoop-Up Days is a community event, it is also a great time for politicians to check out what Lethbridge has to offer. With Lethbridge West by-election nominations open and the election taking place in September, Hyggen expects to run into fellow politicians during the festivities.

“We do have a nomination going on in the West. So we just want to make sure that we meet everybody, see everybody, because we know we need to work with everyone as municipal council. It doesn’t matter what stripes you bring in we want to make sure our voices are heard on a provincial level,” said Hyggen.

Whoop-Up Days celebration will end with a fireworks display on Saturday night.

More information on the festivities can be found at whoopupdays.ca

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