Whoop Up Days gearing up for big year in Lethbridge

The carnival rides and tasty snacks are just around the corner for Lethbridge as Whoop Up Days will be back August 22nd through the 26th.

The Lethbridge and District Pro Rodeo will also be in fine form with more than $80,000 up for grabs for competitors.

The Midway will feature an estimated 30 to 40 rides and there will be additional festivities like the SuperDogs, food trucks, and live music.

Mike Warkentin, the CEO of the Lethbridge and District Exhibition says the Pow Wow and Princess Pageant will also be making a triumphant return with more than $60,000 in prize money available for the best dancers.

“From a public facing perspective, the most exciting element of it is when you can see and experience and hear and in some cases, taste those cultural elements. And the Pow Wow is truly a visceral experience for everyone involved in it. And the color, the song, the dance, everything about it is just excitement. And so as soon as the drums start, it grabs you emotionally and physically in some ways and actually brings you into the room. But it’s an incredibly exciting element that was missing from our Whoop Up Days programming and we’re very excited to have them back.”

Warkentin added that admission is free for the event and there will be an update in the coming weeks about which artists will be performing at Whoop Up Days.

Confirmed programming for Whoop-Up Days 2023

• Whoop-Up Days Parade (Aug. 22 9 AM)
• Morning to Midway (gates open early at noon on Aug. 22)
• West Coast Amusements Midway
• Whoop-Up Days Marketplace featuring Western Alley
• Fireworks Finale (Aug. 26)
• Whoop-Up Days Food Trucks
• Global Pet Foods’ SuperDogs (free show, four times daily)
• Lethbridge & District Pro Rodeo featuring Warrior Relay Races (Aug. 24-26)
• Siksikaitsitapi Pow Wow and Princess Pageant (Aug. 22-24)
• Blood Tribe Ag Society Rodeo Series Finals (Aug. 22-23)