Officials: Floodwaters will not stop Calgary Stampede

Massive flooding in southern Alberta, Canada, had many wondering if Calgary might be forced to cancel its famed annual rodeo.

Asked about the Calgary Stampede, which is scheduled to begin in less than two weeks, Mayor Naheed Nenshi insisted the show will go on.

“We’re Calgarians,” Nenshi told reporters on Saturday. “We’re going to make it work.”

However, he added, the 10-day event “may not look the same as last year.”

More than 75,000 residents were told to leave their homes Friday as officials issued an evacuation order for the downtown area. Aerial photographs showed muddy waters covering the Stampede grounds and flooding the Saddledome arena, a primary event site and home of the Calgary Flames of the NHL.

Still, there were positive signs.

Some residents were allowed to return to their houses Saturday as the Bow and Elbow rivers continued a gradual decline.

The Stampede, which draws more than 1 million spectators each summer, is more than just a rodeo. It features a parade, concerts and shows, cultural exhibits and agricultural competitions.

Its website posted a hopeful message for workers.

“When you return to work we will all pitch in to help in all ways possible,” it read. “You will be part of a big team effort to deliver Stampede 2013.”

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