Lethbridge Exhibition doing its 125th anniversary right

By Lethbridge Herald on June 18, 2022.

LEAVE IT TO BEEBER

Al Beeber
Lethbridge Herald

Hats off to the Lethbridge and District Exhibition for planning a great celebration for its 125th anniversary.

While Whoop-Up Days were celebrated last year after COVID-19 restrictions were briefly lifted following more than a year of masking and social distancing, I’m betting people are ready to let loose this summer. And the Exhibition is going to give them the chance with a vastly different Whoop-Up Days.

Taking advantage of all its indoor space, the Exhibition is doing a miniature indoor carnival for the kids and a place that looks like it’s adult-oriented with a tiki bar. 

And the arts community will get a chance to be in the spotlight with a curated arts space.

And of course, there’s the return of professional rodeo which certainly has to be a major draw.

Whoop-Up Days has long been the premiere summer event in Lethbridge. People who grew up here undoubtedly spent a lot of their teen years at Midnight Madness on the midway which for young and old can be a blast.

And so many of us have watched our kids experience that same fun as we took our little ones on their first midway rides, long before they earned their drivers’ licences and hit the fair with friends as we all did.

The return of the Whoop-Up Days parade is something to celebrate, as well. After a hiatus, it’s back and I’m guessing city sidewalks will be packed as people turn out in droves to once again witness this Whoop-Up Days tradition.

Years ago, The Herald was part of the parade with a synchronized lawn chair team, which was as bizarre as it sounds. With choreography from a city dance studio, we practised our spectacular moves in the Enmax Centre parking lot to do our part to give parade watchers a sight they wouldn’t forget.

We worked hard to perfect our moves for a parade entry surely that had never been seen before or since.

The choreography was complex and it required us to have the precision of a military drill team as we marched, twirled the chairs, sat on them and did other stuff. 

Apparently, what we didn’t realize was how much time our routine took and we held up part of the parade to such a degree that some people on 13 St. N. thought it was over by the time we got there so we had to pick up the pace to keep things flowing.

Everyone has their own memories of the parade and Whoop-Up Days and this year, the Exhibition is developing a fair that will help southern Albertans create many more for them and their families.

It’s an ambitious program and one truly deserving of the Exhibition’s 125th year in the city.

Speaking of rodeo, Raymond is also hosting the professionals July 1 and 2 at its stampede grounds for the first time in decades. Rodeo is a Raymond tradition on July 1 and that should be yet another draw for the town on Canada Day. 

Family reunions, of course, are a huge part of July 1 in Raymond and with those COVID restrictions lifted and the border loosened up, many people might be making pilgrimages home from south of the border to reunited with family and friends.

I’ll be covering the parade that day and am looking forward to seeing some familiar faces if I recognize anyone on Main Street. Last year, Roy Sugai and I ended up leading the parade as my old pal graciously drove me around so I could get photos for the paper and I’m looking forward to making more memories this year.

Follow @albeebHerald on Twitter.

Comments are closed.