That Time of Year Again... Yee-Haw

[dazzledfirestar]

No, I don't mean the time of year for fireworks, and family BBQs. For me, and the other people who live in Calgary, Alberta Canada, it's Stampede time again. What is the Stampede you ask? Well, if you want the official version, it's here. It's all lovely and family friendly. Pfft. Yeah, right.

Let me tell you about the truth of the Calgary Stampede

Comments

[sessys_fangirl]

Ouch. Sounds like its more of a pain in the ass than a lot of fun.

Studies have shown that the STD rate doubles... that's right, doubles, during Stampede.

That is freaking scary...and gross. Ugh.

Well, I hope you survive your Stampede. Same goes for your town.

Can't believe they double their prices. Seems to me with the extra business that prices don't have to be jacked up to make more money.

[dazzledfirestar]

Yeah, it's scary alright. And I didn't even get into what happens to the crime rate. *sigh*

I think the businesses crank up the prices because they know people will pay. And they do... Not that the tourists have much of a choice. People have to eat.

The city will survive... it has since this whole thing started in 1912. We do this every year, it's just a pain in the ass more than anything else. When you double the population for two weeks (one million to two million roughly) you have to expect such things. *shrug* Like I said... someone pass me a beer.

[sessys_fangirl]

* hands you a crate of beer *

Yeah people do have to eat and they will pay. I wonder if they know the prices go back down after. Wouldn't that be a kick in the groin.

* shudders * I'm glad the only thing that goes around my area that any big deal is Bonneroo(sp?), which actually takes place in the next county over in Manchester.

As for the crime rate, eh, it'll straighten itself out eventually after the event hopefully.

I hope you are able to survive it ^^;;

[ginevrasm]

Ugh. Sounds like Augusta when the Masters Tournament goes through. They ship in strippers and "escorts" as well as raise the prices of everything they can get away with. We also get the Futurity crowd here, too, though it's usually not as bad as Masters Week.

We either get out of town or stick very close to home. Restaurants don't usually double the prices, but if you go to a sit down place, you'll have to wave a flag with money on it to get the wait staff's attention. So we stick with the cheap places that the tourists usually miss. Fast food. Pizza buffets.

Two weeks...Ugh.

Oh...I'm not looking forward to tonight. Fireworks make me twitchy. Fourth of July, you know.

[dazzledfirestar]

Yeah, it'll be a fun couple of weeks. /sarcasm.

Hope you had a good Fourth of July though. :)

[manic_olive]

*hugs Daz*

I understand completely. A week after the Stampede closes, Cheyenne Frontier Days rears it's ugly head.

And the crowd that empties out of Calgary meanders south.

Yeah, I know what you're talking about. The thing that really makes me insane is that here (and presumably there) the accountants, lawyers, doctors and anyone else who looks like they haven't been near a horse since 5th grade summer camp dawns those same Levi's, cowboy hats and a faux western charm that has them calling all women "Ma'am" and all men "Sir." Noting of course that these are the same people who wouldn't give you the time of day the other 50 weeks per year.

I skip the rodeo. If I can't leave town, I go to the "Fuck Frontier Days" concert. I'm not really into death metal, but I can't listen to Tim McGraw whine his way through another song.

[dazzledfirestar]

Oh, you're in for a treat this year then. lol They're already making the news with their antics. *sigh* Gotta love the morons in the tight jeans, hats and boots. I laugh and point... literally. LOL