Whoop-Up Days 2023

It's time to take to the fairway and spend the final days of summer under the sun at Whoop-Up Days 2023! Like every year before, this is one of the biggest events all year and the biggest event of the summer!

This year is different, however, with free admission to the fairway, thanks to Gas King's sponsorship! Now you can get in on the action and enjoy the bright lights of the Ferris wheel and wondrous whirligigs without worrying about admission! Wristbands and tickets are still required for rides, but there's so much more to see and do than just the fairway rides at Whoop-Up Days!

Whoop-Up Days is also an excellent opportunity to check out the brand-new Agri-Food Hub & Trade Centre! Discover the new hosting space and all it has to offer while also earning points towards your Sip, Taste, Explore! Southern Alberta AgriVenture! Don't forget when you sign up for a Sip, Taste, Explore! Southern Alberta AgriVenture, before September 1st, you are automatically entered into the Sip, Taste, Explore! End of Summer Sweepstakes. Sign up here!

Whoop-Up Days Parade

Like every year since 1897, the Whoop-Up Days Parade is the inaugural event of this year’s Whoop-Up Days celebrations! Starting at 9 AM at Park Place Mall, the event that brings everyone together starts down 3rd Street South, and then heads east on 3rd Avenue. The parade will then flow to 13th Street, which will navigate north onto 9th Avenue North and end at Galbraith School. Floats are encouraged to decorate with the theme of everything agriculture in mind this year, so there will undoubtedly be some incredible and creative showcases as part of the Whoop-Up Days Parade this year!

Whoop-Up Days Pancake Breakfasts

You can't giddy up and get in on the big Whoop if you've got a rumbling stomach! Luckily, Lethbridge knows this all too well, so the community comes together to make sure more than enough pancake breakfasts are happening every morning around the city to ensure Whoop-Up Days aren't dampened by empty stomachs. To find a complete list of all the pancake breakfasts around the city, head to the Whoop-Up Days website!

Lethbridge Mayor's Community Barbecue!

Keep your stomach full on the first day of Whoop-Up Days with the Mayor's Community Barbecue at City Hall. Join Mayor Hagen for an afternoon of delicious food and live tunes from the incredible local act of Trevor Panczack! From 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, City Hall is the place to be for good food and fun times.

Lethbridge & District Siksikaitsitapi Pow Wow

The Lethbridge & District Siksikaitsitapi Pow Wow is a two-day event from August 23-24, from 2-7 PM. The Siksikaitsitapi Pow Wow is a part of Whoop-Up Days meant to honour and showcase the incredible history, talent, heritage, and culture of the Indigenous People of Canada.

With a prize pool totalling over $65,000, there will certainly be some incredible and competitive performances at this year’s Lethbridge & District Siksikaitsitapi Pow Wow! Please remember that while this event is open to the public, Pow Wows are sacred cultural experiences and should be treated as such. Please remain respectful, and follow all customs and instructions while attending this Pow Wow.

Pow Wow Marketplace

During the Siksikaitsitapi Pow Wow, an Indigenous marketplace will also be held in the space. Indigenous vendors and merchants will be present, selling their wares to the public. This is an incredible opportunity to directly support Indigenous artists, artisans, and creators within the community!

Princess Pageant

A Princess Pageant will also be part of the Indigenous programming during Whoop-Up Days 2023. The Princess Pageant, held on August 22nd from 1-5 PM, honours and recognizes Indigenous girls and women while showcasing Siksikaitsitapi Heritage, history, and culture. The Miss Siksikaitsitapi winners will be crowned and will go on to represent the Lethbridge & District Exhibition and the Siksikaitsitapi throughout the following year. Don’t miss this incredible display of culture and heritage on August 22nd.

Whoop-Up Days Midway

Bright lights, live music, fried food, show-stopping performances, skill-testing games, prizes waiting to be won, and rousing rides all around. This is what the big ‘Whoop’ is all about at Whoop-Up Days! Every year, the summer comes to an illuminated end with the Whoop-Up Days Midway; where Summer days end later than ever. Catch a ride, eat an elephant ear, win a prize, and finish with a trip around the Ferris wheel!

Lethbridge & District Pro Rodeo

The only Pro Rodeo hosted in Lethbridge returns again this year for another three days of incredible bucking bronco action! Learn more about what you can see at the rodeo with the Lethbridge & District Pro Rodeo!

Global Pet Foods’ “Super Dogs” Show

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s Super Dogs! The high-flying and fast-moving group of canines known as the Global Pet Foods “Super Dogs” will be performing during all four days of Whoop-Up Days! With more than 40 years of entertained audiences, this will surely be a part of Whoop-Up Days you don’t want to miss!

Whoop-Up Days Market Place and Buskers

Located in the brand-new Lethbridge & District Agri-Food Hub & Trade Centre, The Whoop-Up Days Marketplace is the perfect place at Whoop-Up Days to support local creators, artists, and artisans! While you browse the many talented sellers at the Whoop-Up Days Marketplace, there will also be live buskers spaced throughout the market floor to entertain and add a bit of ambiance to the shopping experience. The Whoop-Up Days Marketplace comes alive August 22nd – 26th.

Beer Gardens

August 24th-26th sees the addition of beer gardens to the lineup of fun and activities on the fairground of Whoop-Up Days. If you’re thirsty and need a fine local refreshment, look no further than the Whoop-Up Days Beer Garden! With local brews filling cups from 1 PM to 12 AM, there’s always a perfect time to stop in at the Beer Gardens!

Hot Summer Night by Pure Power Wrestling

For the first time in Whoop-Up Days history, the excitement and adrenaline of Pure Power Wrestling arrives at Whoop-Up Days on Friday, August 25th! This is your chance to enjoy the excitement and entertainment of professional wrestling from the comfort of Whoop-Up Days fairgrounds!

Even More to Discover!

With so much more to see and do at Whoop-Up Days this year, it’s no surprise we couldn’t fit all the attractions and excitement into one blog! To learn about the long list of live performances, community events, fair food, and midway rides, head to the Whoop-Up Days website for all the details!

Don’t forget to share all your favourite photos from Whoop-Up Days on social media with #ExploreLethbridge. We love seeing how everyone explores our city, and we even share some of our favourite shots on our social media! Don’t worry, though; we always ask permission before reposting!