The Rainmaker has once more swept through St. Albert, as has the rain.
Cleanup crews were tidying up the last of last weekend’s festivities Tuesday after roughly 13,000 people came to town for the 2022 St. Albert Rainmaker, which ran from May 27 to 29.
Formerly known as the Rainmaker Rodeo, the Rainmaker is St. Albert’s longest-running festival. This year’s edition featured a rodeo, concerts, midway rides, and a parade down St. Anne Street.
Rainmaker chairperson Landan Hughes said this year’s turnout was maybe 25 per cent smaller than average, likely due in part to Friday’s thunderstorms and Sunday’s strong winds. The Rainmaker likely had one of its busiest Saturdays yet over the weekend, with the midway packed and some 3,000 people attending the concert series.
“People were really excited to be here,” Hughes noted, with many saying how they were glad to be back after a two-year pandemic gap.
Hughes said the streets were packed for Saturday’s parade, which had slightly fewer corporate entries than usual. This year’s experiment with online ticket sales also worked, and the Kinsmen hope to build on it for next year.
While it did rain a bit, Hughes said the rodeo grounds themselves stayed fairly dry during the competition, with none of the mud bogs the Rainmaker has had in the past.
It was also quiet on the crime front, with St. Albert RCMP Cpl. Morgan Kyle reporting just nine complaints relating to the Rainmaker, seven of which came in on Sunday May 29 from midnight to 2 a.m. Most of the concerns were related to public intoxication or causing a disturbance; none led to charges.
“It was a fairly low-key event, which is always good,” Kyle said.
Hughes said he was still calculating the funds raised by the Rainmaker when reached by The Gazette Monday. He thanked the City of St. Albert, RCMP, and all the volunteers for their help in running this year’s event.
“We’re glad to be back this year and can’t wait until next year to do it all over again,” he said.
