Lethbridge primed to party for Whoop-Up Days

By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on August 23, 2022.

Herald photo by Alejandra Pulido-Guzman Workers help set up the midway grounds Monday at Exhibition Park with preparations underway for the start of Whoop-Up Days.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com

Whoop Up Days kicks off today to celebrate 125 years, the return of the parade and rodeo, and to welcome the first-ever Lethbridge and District Siksikaitsitapi Princess Pageant and Pow Wow presented by the Blackfoot Confederacy Tribal Council.

“This feels exceptionally good, to have almost a full event back on site, I say almost because we still have construction impacting this site a little bit, but for all intents and purposes this is a full Whoop Up Days since 2019,” said Mike Warkentin, chief executive officer of Lethbridge and district exhibition during an interview Monday afternoon.

He said the excitement across the community is through the roof and they could not be happier to be welcoming people back to the site at full capacity, while being cautiously optimistic that the weather cooperates.

“We do have contingency plans built, as well as emergency procedures in the event that we do have severe weather, but we’re anticipating a lot of great hours in the day for the event,” said Warkentin.

Whoop Up Days is set to kick off this morning with the parade taking place at 9:00 a.m. beginning at Park Place Mall and travelling down its traditional route along 3 Ave and 13 St North, ending at Galbraith Elementary School.

Following the parade kick-off, the Whoop-Up Days grounds will open from 1:00 p.m. to 11 p.m. daily between August 23-27.

“We’re reintroducing professional rodeo here in Lethbridge for the first time in eight years with Lethbridge and district pro-rodeo. This is the top rodeo contestants both in the world and the country competing for final points in the NFR and the CFR,” said Warkentin.

The rodeo will end each night with the highly-anticipated Warrior Relay Races.

For Warrior Relay Races participant Ty Provost, this event is very special and unique as it is happening at the same time rodeo is coming.

“I grew up in and around Lethbridge and I remember when I was a kid how big the rodeo was at the fair during Whoop-Up Days, and then it kinda died down and there was no rodeo for a long time going on, so this is a very special event to be bringing back the rodeo and also promoting the relay,” said Provost.

He believes this event has the potential to be one of the biggest events in Canada, not just in Alberta.

Warkentin said the other big thing they are excited about this year is the Siksikaitsitapi Pow Wow in partnership with the Blackfoot Confederacy Tribal Council happening Aug. 24 – 25 in the South Pavilion.

“We’re anticipating Pow Wow competitors from all over southern Alberta, northern Montana, Western Canada really, to compete for prizes totalling $65,000,” said Warkentin.

This year’s fair also features the introduction of the La Galleria art show, a curated art gallery showcasing local southern Alberta artists and digital art from Lethbridge College students.

Guests will experience over 30 rides from West Coast Amusement, Twiggy the waterskiing squirrel, Extreme Dogs, YQL Beach, Hudsons Beer Garden, a kid’s themed Mini Carnival, performance arts on the Troubadour and Local Street stages, the All About Science family stage, the Kid’s Pedal Tractor Pull, and the Ag for Life education Rural Safety Unit and Know Your Food trailers.

“One of the things I’m most excited about is Twiggy the water-skiing squirrel just outside the main pavilion, and yes it is exactly what it sounds like, that squirrel can water ski,” said Warkentin.

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