2oo,ooo free pancakes are served at the Calgary Stampede, the world-famous annual rodeo that is celebrating 100 years!
Calgary, Alberta- Ridin' ropin' & ranglin' may be center-stage at the Calgary Stampede, but what's also very cool is the tradition of western hospitality which is demonstrated with free pancake breakfasts at different locations around the city. What started with a chuckwagon driver serving breakfast from his rig in downtown Calgary has morphed into massive mall breakfasts. An estimated 200,000 pancakes are severed around the city during the 10-day event. It's all part of what Calgary calls 'the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth'. Last year more than one million people took part in this city celebration, which dates back to 1912. Businesses dial it down, residents grab their cowboy hats, and thousands of volunteers head over to the Stampede Park ( just look for the saddle-shaped stadium) to help with the wild west entertainment, which features family fun ranging from rodeos and an Indian village to chuck wagon races and nightly fireworks.
In the News: Canada Post is celebrating 100th Anniversary of the Calgary Stampede with two of the first stamps first to feature Augmented RealityCanada is among the first postal administrations in the world to utilize this new technology via postage stamps.
Using either of these two special commemorative stamps anyone who owns a smartphone or tablet will be able to explore the digital side of stamps via Augmented Reality. So, what's Augmented Realit? It's described as "an enhanced view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented by computer-generated 'virtual elements' such as sound, video, 3D graphics, web-based information or GPS data." The simple version: you just have to download the free Stamps Alive app, and then you hover your device over the stamp and you'll be able to access either a barrel race game or an interactive experience with a horse. The interactive content was created by Ad-Dispatch, a 12-year-old Halifax-based company, which has created consumer experiences using Augmented Reality technology with many well-known North American marketing agencies and big brands, including: Chevrolet, Walmart, Marvel, Disney and the Home Depot. The two stamps are now available in post offices, online and via phone order. Source: PR Newswire
Where: Here's where 2012 free breakfasts will be held.
In the News: The 2012 Stampede is scheduled for July 6 to 15 (the first breakfast is on July 7.) You can follow the Calgary Stampede on Twitter
Lucy Izon
Canada Cool is produced by award-winning Canadian travel writer & speaker Lucy Izon. Her travel stories & reports have appeared in numerous leading North American publications including the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, and Chicken Soup for the Traveler's Soul. Bio page
Canada’s Coolest:
Welcome to a new feature on Canada Cool. I'll be presenting different 'Coolest' lists with my favorites and I encourage you to nominate suggestions from your own experiences. You can Twitter @CanadaCool or email [email protected]. Let me know what makes your suggestion exceptionally cool. Remember, by contributing your comments you are giving Canada Cool permission to quote you. Only a selection of submissions will be included, but all comments and submissions are greatly appreciated!
The first feature is: Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives
Here are some of my favorites...
The Icefields Parkway, Jasper National Park, Alberta - This 229 km (142 mi) Rocky Mountain route from Banff/Lake Louise to Jasper passes 100 frozen rivers and nudges the base of the Athabasca Glacier - the most accessible glacier in the world. You can stop and explore it. It spills down from the Columbia Icefield, an area of ice so massive that you could fit the entire population of North America on it with each person getting at least a square metre of space.
The Corridor, Algonquin Park, Ontario – this 56-km stretch of Hwy 60 cuts through the southwest section of Algonquin Park. Less than three hours north of Toronto the park is a nature-lover's paradise with 7,725 km of lakes, rivers, forest, trails, camping, comfortable lodges and 2000 km of canoe routes. Offers hiking trails to stop and enjoy, but what makes it really cool is that it’s one of the best places in North America to spot moose (especially in May and June). And, on Thursday nights in August up to 600 cars will gather to listen to wolves howl.
The Cabot Trail, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia – Driving this 303 km (187 mile) route is like riding a roller-coaster: the road snakes around hairpin turns, rises to heights over 365 metres (1200 ft), weaves around headlands revealing spectacular coastal scenery, and plunges down to sea level taking you into the heart of small fishing communities. The most dramatic scenery is between the Cape Breton Highlands National Park entrance near Cheticamp and Pleasant Bay, so go slow. And, plan some flexibility into your schedule, so you can drive it on a clear day.
And here are some of your nominations for 'Canada's Coolest Single Day Scenic Drives'...
More from Canada’s Coolest
'Canada's Coolest' topics we'll be publishing in the future:
- Golf Course Features
- Haunted Hotels
- Hotel Special Services
Send your suggestions to [email protected]
Recent 'Canada's Coolest' topics:
