Rainy days didn't dampen spirits as Calgarians marked Victoria Day weekend at theme parks, charity motorcycle ride
Article content
Article content
Calgary received 2.1 mm of rain on Friday, 3.5 mm on Saturday and 14.7 mm on Sunday, totalling more than 20 mm over the Victoria Day weekend as of early Monday afternoon, according Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Article content
Article content
' Weather aside, Saturday and (Victoria Day) have certainly exceeded our expectations for our grand opening weekend here at Calaway Park,' said Chelsea Barteaux, marketing manager at Calaway Park. 'We have done better than we projected from an attendance perspective.'
Article content
Article content
New this year at the park is the Riptide Racer ride, a restaurant called Riptide Grill and a family-friendly water balloon fight.
Article content
Article content
Even on Sunday, guests still came out in the rain to enjoy the park, bringing their rain jackets and umbrellas, Barteaux said.
Article content
Heritage Park's Historical Village also reopened for the season on May 17, inviting visitors aboard Calgary's only paddlewheeler, the S.S. Moyie, and to enjoy returning attractions on the Antique Midway.
Article content
Article content
Over at WinSport's Canada Olympic Park, Skyline Downhill Karting launched its summer season Saturday. The activity is open to all ages and abilities, with varying hours posted online.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Calgary Herald
17 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Calgary's outdoor attractions navigate unpredictable summer
A wet July dampened attendance at some of Calgary's major outdoor attractions, but the summer is still shaping up to finish strong. Article content Calaway Park saw a promising start to the season before rainfall hit historic levels, forcing them to pivot. Article content Article content 'May and June were outstanding, we really had a good start to the summer season,' said Bob Williams, the park's general manager. 'Our season pass sales exceeded our expectations, especially in the spring. So, we're optimistic about the month of August.' Article content Article content Despite the area facing 212 millimetres of rain in July, Williams said that the Stampede season was still steady and that the RV park had strong visitation from Americans and Europeans. Article content Article content The weather did have some more notable effects on the park during the month, sometimes forcing management to close certain rides — or, on one occasion, closing the park due to torrential rainfall. Article content 'What's interesting is, we did have a number of guests come in on rainy days, and they experienced no lineups and had the best day ever,' Williams laughed. 'So, good for them, not so great for us, because obviously we want the sun shining and we want lots of guests. So, it depends who you talk to.' Article content Williams said domestic tourism is also up and that management remains optimistic about August, which is often the busiest month of the year for the park. Article content New to the park this year is the Riptide Grill restaurant, which accompanies last year's new ride, Riptide Racer. The park also launched a new game called Water Wars which has proven popular. Article content Article content 'It's a water balloon launching game where people get absolutely wet, and on a hot day it's absolutely packed . . . Last weekend we were slammed, it was very busy which was great,' Williams said. Article content The park is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. until Sept. 1. Beyond that, the park will launch its Halloweekends event, where guests can get dressed up and celebrate Halloween early on weekends from Sept. 6 to Oct. 13. Article content The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo experienced similar challenges this summer, with July attendance down about 10 per cent compared to last year. Article content 'It's been kind of tough, but August has been off to a great start,' said Jamie Dorgan, chief operating officer for the zoo. 'We're feeling pretty optimistic with the long weekends coming our way this month as well. So, fingers crossed.'
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Breath of fresh air
After weeks of air quality warnings, Manitobans can breathe a sigh of relief. 'We have finally cleared our air quality alerts for not only the Winnipeg area, but for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which has not been the case for quite some time,' said Christy Climenhaga, a scientist with Environment and Climate Change Canada. 'We've finally seen some rain in parts of central Saskatchewan and central Manitoba, expecting a little bit more. And looking at our air quality, our current values are pretty good.' As of Wednesday afternoon, Winnipeg's air quality risk was at level three — meaning low risk — dropping from moderate risk Tuesday night. There have been warnings and alerts in Manitoba for about the last month, excepting a few short periods, said Climenhaga. There is some remaining smoke that has yet to pass, but Climenhaga said weather models show 'pretty decent' forecasts and more rain coming. There have been around 350 hours of smoke in Winnipeg this summer, making it the smokiest summer on record. Climenhaga encouraged Winnipeggers to enjoy the clearer air but to keep an eye out for future alerts. 'We'll have to see how this latest dose of rain helps the situation. Cool air, rain in that region is a good thing, but if we do get more lightning, it's something that could continue to be an issue,' she said. 'I would say it's nice to see a change and maybe some improvement in our air quality over the next little while, but there's still quite a bit of season left.' Malak AbasReporter Malak Abas is a city reporter at the Free Press. Born and raised in Winnipeg's North End, she led the campus paper at the University of Manitoba before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Malak. Every piece of reporting Malak produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
A windy and stormy Wednesday for Alberta
After a beautiful Tuesday with lots of sunshine and a high of 28 C, Calgary will return to more seasonal temperatures Wednesday thanks to some gusty northerly winds blowing at 30 to 50 km/h. Wednesday will start out calm enough for the city, so if you have any gardening or outdoor plans, the morning and early afternoon are the best times to be outside. Calgary weather forecast for Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025 The winds will start to pick up at around 2 p.m., and some models suggest active weather could arrive in Calgary around 3 p.m. – though it seems like there is a stronger storm potential for the area later in the day between 7 p.m. to midnight. Looking at the severe storm outlook issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada, Calgary is just outside the moderate risk zone. The primary hazards when it comes to storms for Calgary on Wednesday will be 70 km/h wind speeds, rapid rainfall up to 30 mm and small-sized hail. However, it is good to factor the risks in the moderate zone, which includes 100+ km/h winds, higher rainfall amounts and hail up to four cm in diameter. This storm system will gain intensity as it tracks into Saskatchewan, with regions in that province experiencing the most severe risks indicated in the outlook – plus the possibility of tornado development. Calgary weather forecast for Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025 The wicked weather will subside overnight, but it will cool Calgary off noticeably with a low of 9 C and a Thursday high of 17 C – well below the normal 23 C high for this time of year. Cloudy conditions will prevail for the rest of the work week, with the chance of scattered showers. By the time we get into Saturday, we regain stability with a mix of sun and clouds and comfortable highs of 24 C.
