22 July 2021, Calgary – Members of the Filipino community in Calgary joined this year’s Calgary Stampede, which returned after its cancellation last year due to the pandemic.    

The 10-day city-wide festival was held on 9-18 July 2021 following the full re-opening of the Province of Alberta, Canada, on 1 July.

The world-famous Calgary Stampede celebrates the city’s western heritage with parades, rodeo events, exhibitions, concerts, rides, and other activities held in the Calgary Stampede Park. In different parts of the city, various community groups and private companies offer free breakfasts during the duration of the festival.

A group of Filipinos, led by Mission PH, joined the Stampede Parade Prelude on 9 July at the Calgary Stampede Park. Wearing their colorful costumes and outfits, the group performed Philippine folk dance and Zumba dance. They also paraded a cardboard cut-out of the Rizal bust that will be installed on a monument at Nose Creek Regional Park in Airdrie, Alberta. The Rizal Monument in Airdrie is a joint project of the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary, Airdrie City Council, Filipino Airdrie Association, and the Rizal Monument Project Team.

Fiesta Filipino, on the other hand, hosted the “Ihaw Yeehaw” barbeque party at the Seafood City parking lot on 10 July.

The next day, the PIOCC – Sulong Kalayaan Society (PIOCC-SKS) organized the Almusal 2021 Traditional Filipino Stampede Breakfast at the Pacific Hut Restaurant parking lot. The popular Filipino dish lechon (roasted pig), longganisa (sweet sausage), fried lumpia, and Philippine bread pandesal were some of the food items served to the public for free that day.

Consul General Zaldy Patron and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney were among the guests who attended both the “Ihaw Yeehaw” and the Almusal 2021 organized by the Filipino community in Calgary.