The biggest question this year for attendees of Canada’s biggest rodeo — besides “Should I try the alligator pepperoni pizza?” — will be “Are they going to run out of water?”
What happened: The Calgary Stampede kicks off today, three days after the city lifted restrictions on indoor water usage following last month’s catastrophic water main break. While out-of-town cowfolk will be able to shower, limits remain on outdoor water usage.
- The Stampede uses a lot of water, be it for hosing down chuckwagons, or for running misting stations and fountains that help honky-tonkers keep cool.
- Organizers promise to avoid using city water whenever possible, for example by importing water to keep ~1,000 livestock animals hydrated.
Why it matters: The city has faced criticism for going forward with the Stampede, but when you have an event that’s worth $282 million to the local economy, the rodeo must go on. Especially if this event is also the premier annual opportunity to pitch your city to investors.
Big picture: In a bid to boost non-Stampede tourism, Calgary spent $1.7 million this year on a nickname (Blue Sky City) and a new logo, which it unveiled earlier this week.—QH