In the years we lived in Calgary a highlight was the Friday when the Stampede Parade led off the week of western-style celebration.  I would arrive early to work that morning because Petro-Canada would host a Stampede Breakfast in the courtyard between the buildings in what was then known then as Red Square.  Not just because the buildings had red marble but possibly in reference to the fact that it was a government-owned company.

In those days the company tried to overcome the obvious dislike that Alberta had for a company owned and controlled by the Liberal Party of Quebec and Ontario (an opinion shared by most of the employees) so they hosted the best breakfast at the time.  They also sponsored Kelly Sutherland in the Rangeland Derby chuck wagon races.

Anyway I would arrive and have the free breakfast, then head down to find a spot with all my co-workers to watch the parade.  After the parade we would head off to a bar for a Stampede early lunch.  If we could manage it, we would go back to the office to try and indicate we were being paid that day, but as most of the employees and managers never made it back, I would head home early.

So the Stampede Parade has always been kind of special for me.

Today we recorded the parade to watch from the comfort of our living room.  Now this is not like the Rose Bowl Parade, and no where near the parade that they have in Rio de Janeiro for Carnival, but nice.  We have a particular reason.  Andra and Mason were marching in the parade in support of the Make a Wish float.  Last year they walked by the camera during a CTV advertising break but this year they walked by and the camera was right there for Andra to wave and Mason to walk by.  4 seconds of close-up for us as we watched the parade.

As usual it was raining.  Alberta can have massive drought, but for some reason it rains at least once on the Stampede week.