The Hat is where it’s at

Games, entertainment and music are just a few ways to celebrate during summer festivals in Medicine Hat

Grab your cowboy hat, boots and spurs and head to Medicine Hat at the end of July for the annual Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede.

The four-day event offers all kinds of entertainment, such as a midway, a casino, a parade, rodeos and the crowning of the Stampede queen and princess.

From July 27 to 30, the grounds will come alive as up to 45,000 people mill around the extensive exhibition area to experience the more-than-century-old event, which is all organized by a core group of 500 volunteers.

Music is a big part of the stampede; this year will feature such internationally acclaimed artists as the Charlie Daniels Band, Clint Black and REO Speedwagon.

But in all the variety of events in the stampede experience, it is bull riding that gets the crowd really excited, according to Jim Tennant, the corporate development manager of the Medicine Hat Exhibition & Stampede.

“There’s nothing like watching an average 5-5 to 5-7 guy maybe weighing in at a wet 180 pounds climbing on top of 2,000 pounds of raging bull,” Tennant said.

The midway is always a popular draw for families, as kids are usually excited by the variety of rides and games as well as the smells from vendors selling treats like cotton candy, elephant ears and mini-doughnuts.

“It is definitely not a good time to be on a diet,” Tennant joked.

The stampede and exhibition, which has become a signature summer event for the city, had its humble beginnings as a livestock showcase in the late 1880s.

Smooth notes 

Let the sweet sounds of swing and soul permeate your senses during the 15th annual Medicine Hat Jazz Festival, held from June 20 to 26, 2011.

Starting out as a three-day festival that only booked one out-of-town act, the event has grown to include roughly 150 individual artists and groups playing in many indoor and outdoor venues over seven days.

The jazz festival appeals to all ages and encompasses a number of music genres because of the diverse range of artists and venues, said Lyle Rebbeck, one of the event organizers.

“You don’t have to be a jazz fan to be a fan of the jazz festival,” said Rebbeck. “It’s all about the festival and the community celebration.”

There are free concerts in public areas for the casual fan and ticketed events in clubs, bars and theatres for the true jazz aficionado. One of the marquee venues is the downtown bus terminal parkade rooftop—an area large enough for a stage and audience that gives a great view of the city and countryside, said Rebbeck.

Lee Konitz, a American saxophonist; Paquito D’Rivera, a Cuban jazz musician; and Bobby Hutcherson, a vibraphone and marimba musician, are just a few notable names that have graced past festivals. 

The schedule for this year's festival will be finalized within the next few months and tickets will go on sale in the beginning of May.