The lineup was already stretched down the Midway by 7 a.m. at the Calgary Stampede Sunday.
It’s all part of Family Day at the Calgary Stampede, when early risers are rewarded with free admission from 6 a.m. until 9 a.m., plus a free pancake breakfast for the first 20,000.
Suncor sponsors the breakfast and over 100 volunteers from the company help serve up the pancakes and meat patties.
“It’s wonderful,” Michelle Bauer, a Suncor volunteer, said. “We’re serving lots and lots of people and the line is never ending.”
Another 150 volunteers with the Stampede Caravan Committee helped out too. Those volunteers work non-stop, flipping pancakes at two events a day during Stampede week.
“It’s a 4 a.m. wake up call for most of us and lots of people on our committee are taking personal time and vacation time to join us,” Ken Davis, Caravan Committee chair, said. “It’s a huge investment of their time. It’s wonderful to see the spirit on our committee is contagious.”
A free grandstand show was also part of the Family Day fun, with local acts to showing off their talents.
“This is our third year. They absolutely love it,” Julianna Bourne, with the Calgary-based non-profit sport group Skip Time, said.
Bourne’s troupe of young performers entertained the crowd with their skipping routines.
“The crowds are amazing. They are so gracious to us and the kids love to showcase. It’s usually just parents watching, but this is the perfect opportunity for them to really shine,” Bourne said.
Newcomers to Calgary were thrilled to have a day out that is easy on the budget.
Abdisalam Ahmed just moved to Calgary from Somalia last year. He was thrilled to be at the Family Day event with his nephew and sister.
“I am feeling grateful to take my family here. I am very happy to see the Stampede of Calgary. It is my first time to come here. I am very happy,” Ahmed said.
Phuong Huynh has been taking her children for 17 years. Her older kids go on their own these days. Now she’s here with only her youngest daughter, Cailyn.
“I usually go for the pancakes. My favorite parts are the food and the rides,” Cailyn said.
Mom, on the other hand, is just there to supervise.
“Not for me,” Huynh said. “The rides are too scary for me.”
On Saturday more than 97,000 people attended the Calgary Stampede.
That’s slightly down from last year on the same day, when 104, 668 people visited the grounds.
But so far this year, just over 222,000 people have come to the grounds, which is an overall increase of 4, 725 people.
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