Calgary residents took a break from their water woes Friday, lining up six-deep downtown to watch the parade launching the annual summer Stampede festival.
害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 saddled up,害羞草研究所� said Rita Freese, with her grandson beside her.
Freese said she hasn害羞草研究所檛 been curbside to watch the parade since 1989. She watched it on TV last year and decided she needed to see it in person.
害羞草研究所淚 said, 害羞草研究所業害羞草研究所檓 never not going again, come rain or shine.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟
Some savvy parade watchers began preparations Thursday night, roping together camping chairs to ensure a front-row view. Others arrived as the sun rose, hours before the start, to ensure a good spot to watch the 100 entries, including 21 floats, 11 marching bands and 700 horses.
害羞草研究所淢y mom took one for the team,害羞草研究所� said Danielle Oliverio.
害羞草研究所淪he came around 6:30 this morning to get the spot, then my mother-in-law and I rolled in a couple of hours later just in time for it to start.害羞草研究所�
Oliverio said she has been going to the parade for the last two years with her children, continuing a tradition that began when her parents took her when she was young.
The highlights for the young ones, she said, were Calgary Flames mascot Harvey the Hound and 害羞草研究所渢he horses and the vehicles that clean up after the horses.害羞草研究所�
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, donning a navy blue cowboy hat and denim jacket, waved to the crowd from a wagon. Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was on horseback urging the crowd to 害羞草研究所渁xe the tax,害羞草研究所� referring to his party害羞草研究所檚 campaign against the consumer carbon levy.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek, wearing a white hat, also appeared in the parade on a horse.
The parade was held a month to the day after a water main supplying 60 per cent of the drinking water for the city ruptured and flooded streets.
Crews scrambled to repair the line and, in the process, found five more weak spots to fix.
A directive to have Calgarians cut their indoor water use by 25 per cent with fewer showers and toilet flushes was lifted earlier this week.
A ban on outdoor watering remained in place, with the system running at reduced capacity to keep enough water in reserve to fight fires and for the replacement line to undergo tests.
Oliverio said her family took the restrictions in stride.
害羞草研究所淲e bathed the kids a little less and obviously didn害羞草研究所檛 water the grass, but it didn害羞草研究所檛 affect us that majorly,害羞草研究所� she said.
The Stampede 害羞草研究所� a combination midway fair, entertainment festival and rodeo competition 害羞草研究所� brings thousands of visitors to the city every July.
Earlier this month, there were concerns the population bump from the 10-day event would push the city害羞草研究所檚 water system to a breaking point.
Gondek has asked Calgarians to continue to go easy on their indoor water use, and contingency plans are in place for the Stampede. The Stampede will, for example, clean the rodeo grandstand less frequently using non-treated water.
The Stampede is also the site of political pancake flipping. Smith is scheduled to toss flapjacks on Monday, while the Opposition NDP, with new leader Naheed Nenshi, is to host three pancake events starting Sunday.
Lisa Johnson, The Canadian Press
