What do you do with the kids when it’s hotter than Hades outside? Well, here’s a tip: don’t take them to the Calgary Stampede on its record-breaking busiest day in the history of the event.
So. Hot. Kids. Melting. Along with 184,000 other people.
I don’t know what we were thinking (hint: it’s Family Day! We can get in for free!!), but we didn’t expect 29C by noon or that we’d be rubbing sweaty elbows with 184,000 other people. At any rate, now that our annual Stampede grounds visit is over, we can focus on staying cool without the aid of air conditioning. With the heat wave about to hit its fifth day, here are five ways to beat it.
Day 1: Host a pool party. No, we don’t have a real swimming pool, but we have a hose and a plastic kiddie pool and that’s really all you need. If you want to be the envy of the block, invest in a Slip ‘N Slide and a couple of water guns.
This is totally as cool as it looks.
Day 2: Find a real pool and submerge. Calgary has a number of outdoor pools, wading pools and spray parks. We visited the Mount Pleasant pool on Sunday afternoon after the Stampede. It was cool bliss until a duck landed in the pool and they called a Code Poo.
Head to one of Calgary’s eight outdoor pools for a dip.
Day 3: Make popsicles. Not only is this a fun family activity that culminates two hours later in a frozen treat, you get to stand by an open freezer door for a while. Ahhhh…
The sweetest way to cool down: a lemonade popsicle!
Day 4: Call in a favour with a “lake community” friend. We all know someone who lives in Bonavista or Mackenzie Lake or some other lake ‘hood that boasts a fancy club with paddle boats and the like. Time to drop your pal a line and lots of hints about the heat.
Ok, ok, this isn’t a Calgary lake, but you get the idea.
Day 5: Mix yourself a nice cold cocktail. You survived the heat wave!
May I suggest a Daisy Duke? It’s refreshing and makes a great Calgary Stampede cocktail.
Drink - Play - Love 