It's that time of year again when St. Albert is bustling with excitement in preparations for the annual Rainmaker Festival. For more than 50 years, the beloved rodeo and exhibition has been a standard addition to the city's summer celebrations.
It's that time of year again when St. Albert is bustling with excitement in preparations for the annual Rainmaker Festival. For more than 50 years, the beloved rodeo and exhibition has been a standard addition to the city's summer celebrations. So dust off those cowboy boots and get ready for a rip-roarin' good time.
This year weather forecasts say there's a chance for thunderstorms on Friday and Saturday, but it will be mainly sunny on Sunday. The high for Friday is predicted to reach 27 C and the rest of the weekend will be a comfortable 23 C.
Opening celebrations
The Rainmaker Festival is very much emblematic of St. Albert, running for 54 of the 155 years that St. Albert has been a city. The extravagant opening parade coincides with the city's birthday celebration and represents the city with many local entries like members of city council, marching bands, sports teams, RCMP, local businesses and organizations and so much more. The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. and, if you're up early enough, you can catch the
St. Albert Gazette staff serving a pancake breakfast downtown starting at 7 a.m. Spectators can expect to see an exciting show this year starting at Sir Winston Churchill Blvd., travelling along through St. Anne Street, Perron Street, Mission Avenue and finally winding up on Mount Royal Drive. Wave hello to familiar faces and keep your hands out for the many treats and high-fives that may be coming your way as the parade passes by.
Rodeo shenanigans
Amidst all the festivities this weekend, some cowboys and cowgirls will be getting serious at the Rainmaker Rodeo competition. Prize money is on the line for contests in bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing and more. Cory Dunlop, president of Lakeland Rodeo, is a competitor in the team roping event. He's been involved in rodeos since he was seven years old, and at 35 he said roping steer is just part of the routine. Dunlop said the Rainmaker is the opening rodeo of the year for many competitors, and a good kickoff to the summer.
"The crowds are good there. It's nice to compete in front of full stands. It gets your adrenaline going if more people are watching," Dunlop said.
While contestants may be serious about winning, spectators will be seriously entertained. The rodeo events are arguably the main attraction at the festival. Returning to the grounds again this year are the Dynamo Dogs – with adorable animals and interesting agility tricks, the Dynamo Dogs are a real crowd-pleaser.
Music on the main stage
Do your best rain dance to the music at the main stage, featuring Friday night rockers and Saturday night country singers. This year, Bif Naked headlines the rock show. In a music career that's spanned over two decades, the punky and passionate performer has released ten studio albums with two songs, "I Love Myself Today" and "Tango Shoes," hitting high numbers on the MuchMusic Top 30 Chart in the early 2000s. The James Barker Band headlines the country concert, bringing with them a mix of original songs and a few covers of beloved country hits. The band hit the music scene in 2013, and has since become a favourite for country listeners across Canada. In January 2018, Top Country Charts named their song "Good Together" the number one Canadian single. Their album
Game On won a Juno for country album of the year in 2018. Other performers in the concert series include Kim Mitchell, Purple City, Captain Tractor, Emo LeBlanc, River Town Saints, and Dan Davidson.
Midway food and fun
In addition to the rodeo events and musical performances, the midway food and fun offers much enjoyment. Expect to see some classic amusement rides, games of chance, and sideshow entertainment. A highlight to be noted is the West Coast Lumberjacks, who put on a show of chainsaw carving, block chopping, axe throwing, log rolling and more. Crowd participation is a must when walking through the midway, so step right up and don't be shy. There's also the outdoor marketplace, which gives shoppers an array of goods to look at – from hand-crafted jewelry to artwork from local artists. And of course, your favourite festival food will be available at food trucks and stands throughout the park. But, you probably came just for the mini-doughnuts, right?
All for a good cause
The Rainmaker is brought to you by the Kin family, made up of members from the Kinsmen, Kinette, K-40, and K-ette clubs, who are renowned for their contributions to the many charities in and around St. Albert. The Rainmaker Festival is no exception, helping to raise funds for more than 30 community initiatives. The Kin motto is "Serving the Community's Greatest Need," and the club does well to live up to that standard. This year contributions will be made towards palliative care at the Sturgeon Community Hospital, the David Wynn Memorial at Lacombe Lake Park, and other local social services, youth initiatives, and sports teams. So know that while you're enjoying yourself at the festival this year, everything goes to support a good cause.
