Summer Festivals
So, I've had a chance to take in a few of the summer festivities that Edmonton has to offer thus far. My thoughts...
I got time off for the Klondike Days Parade. The fact that many of my classmates did not represents one of the main difference between Klondike Days and the Stampede, with the whole city getting behind the latter to a greater extent. I don't think that the theme is a problem, and I think that people that complain about the theme are just making excuses. Yes, it's easier for people to just put on cowboy hats for the Stampede, however apart from "ease of participation" I think a lot of the other arguments are red herrings. While Edmonton's connection to the Klondike may not be as strong as a summer festival theme would imply, I don't think that a "Fur Trading Days" would be any easier to dress up for. Plus, a casino wouldn't fit as well with it. So, the way I see it, Edmonton would have the option of pursuing a theme with no connection at all to the city (Pirates, Hawaiian shirts, etc.), or it could try and be a me-too Stampede with people donning cowboys hats, which has the additional negative aspect of making the city look like a wannabe. Really, I don't think people not coming out has anything to do with the theme.
Anyways, on to the parade itself, it was pretty good but could have been a couple of floats shorter. By the end of it my feet were definitely quite sore. The floats were pretty good, but there was nothing that really stood out. It was good to see that the Leduc float won two different awards, however (Best float built by volunteers, float judged best by children). The one negative thing was that an antique truck which was pulling the "Klondike Kate's Tea Party" float broke down in front of where I was standing, so they temporarily had to divert the parade around it until a tow truck could come and pull it and the float through the parade. So I missed a few floats. In terms of "people I knew on floats", I saw Cam walking beside the ATB Financial float while Former Education Councillor Jason Baxter was riding an antique ETS bus. Both gentleman saw me in the crowd and waved. Sadly, no sign of Rachel on the Dragon Boat Festival float.
The taste of Edmonton was quite good as well. The one side close to Churchill Square is a bit crowded, however. I must say that the new Churchill Square does work well for summer festivals, as those steps they put in around the edges provide for good seating.
I was also able to take in the Opening Ceremonies for the Worlds Masters Games. My sister was volunteering for the Games so I was able to use her free tickets to the ceremonies (oddly enough, I'm not volunteering). The ceremony was fairly good. Randy Bachman was a nice touch. It's also always good to get a couple of Snowbird flybys. The one thing which I found a tad irksome was when some of the athletes started the wave during one of the speeches. I'm all for enthusiasm, but I don't think that the wave should be done during someone's speech. Particularly when it's a speech by Her Majesty's Representative in Alberta. (I would say that's the greatest indignity committed to a 1950's Eskimo in Commonwealth since they booed Don Getty when they put him up on the Wall of Honour, but that's perhaps going a bit too far).
I am impressed that Edmonton's been able to handle all these events at once. I haven't heard how the turnout was for the Triathalon this year, but I assume it was decent. I'm also looking forward to the fact that Leduc is apparently the venue for a couple of Masters Games events.
I got time off for the Klondike Days Parade. The fact that many of my classmates did not represents one of the main difference between Klondike Days and the Stampede, with the whole city getting behind the latter to a greater extent. I don't think that the theme is a problem, and I think that people that complain about the theme are just making excuses. Yes, it's easier for people to just put on cowboy hats for the Stampede, however apart from "ease of participation" I think a lot of the other arguments are red herrings. While Edmonton's connection to the Klondike may not be as strong as a summer festival theme would imply, I don't think that a "Fur Trading Days" would be any easier to dress up for. Plus, a casino wouldn't fit as well with it. So, the way I see it, Edmonton would have the option of pursuing a theme with no connection at all to the city (Pirates, Hawaiian shirts, etc.), or it could try and be a me-too Stampede with people donning cowboys hats, which has the additional negative aspect of making the city look like a wannabe. Really, I don't think people not coming out has anything to do with the theme.
Anyways, on to the parade itself, it was pretty good but could have been a couple of floats shorter. By the end of it my feet were definitely quite sore. The floats were pretty good, but there was nothing that really stood out. It was good to see that the Leduc float won two different awards, however (Best float built by volunteers, float judged best by children). The one negative thing was that an antique truck which was pulling the "Klondike Kate's Tea Party" float broke down in front of where I was standing, so they temporarily had to divert the parade around it until a tow truck could come and pull it and the float through the parade. So I missed a few floats. In terms of "people I knew on floats", I saw Cam walking beside the ATB Financial float while Former Education Councillor Jason Baxter was riding an antique ETS bus. Both gentleman saw me in the crowd and waved. Sadly, no sign of Rachel on the Dragon Boat Festival float.
The taste of Edmonton was quite good as well. The one side close to Churchill Square is a bit crowded, however. I must say that the new Churchill Square does work well for summer festivals, as those steps they put in around the edges provide for good seating.
I was also able to take in the Opening Ceremonies for the Worlds Masters Games. My sister was volunteering for the Games so I was able to use her free tickets to the ceremonies (oddly enough, I'm not volunteering). The ceremony was fairly good. Randy Bachman was a nice touch. It's also always good to get a couple of Snowbird flybys. The one thing which I found a tad irksome was when some of the athletes started the wave during one of the speeches. I'm all for enthusiasm, but I don't think that the wave should be done during someone's speech. Particularly when it's a speech by Her Majesty's Representative in Alberta. (I would say that's the greatest indignity committed to a 1950's Eskimo in Commonwealth since they booed Don Getty when they put him up on the Wall of Honour, but that's perhaps going a bit too far).
I am impressed that Edmonton's been able to handle all these events at once. I haven't heard how the turnout was for the Triathalon this year, but I assume it was decent. I'm also looking forward to the fact that Leduc is apparently the venue for a couple of Masters Games events.
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