The white hats, plaid shirts and deep-fried treats are not going anywhere, but the Calgary Stampede’s leaders say the weeklong happening is evolving to reflect an increasingly cosmopolitan Alberta.
Whether it is at a sunset breakfast where crowds of Ismaili Muslims dressed in western wear break Ramadan fast with a traditional helping of pancakes, or on the track where chuckwagons will soon race near a new opera centre, the self-styled Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth is readying for a future that is more open and varied.
[…] After more than 30 years at Stampede, chief executive officer Warren Connell said the sunset breakfast is a sign of the event’s growth. “The thing that has kept me loving Stampede every day and every minute is that we keep evolving,” he said. “We’ve grown with our community. I love it.”
Pancakes and eggs started tumbling onto plates at 9:53 p.m. on the first Saturday of Stampede as the Ismaili community completed daily Ramadan fasting. Chai, and bharazi, a protein-rich East African dish made with pigeon peas and coconut milk, were also served.
Ismailimail 