For the second year in a row, the Rainmaker Rodeo has been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On May 6, the City of St. Albert released a statement announcing its decision to not allow the event to proceed. The decision was made in consultation with the Kinsmen Club of St. Albert, which has been hosting the event for over 55 years.
“Although we are disappointed the rodeo cannot run this year, the Kinsmen Club of St. Albert understands the City’s position and supports the cancellation,” stated Rob Ladouceur, St. Albert Rainmaker Rodeo and Exhibition chairperson, in the city media release.
The rising rate of COVID-19 cases and uncertainty surrounding when the latest public health measures will ease were contributing factors to the decision.
In the media statement, Mayor Cathy Heron said the decision wasn't made lightly.
"The City decided to act now to give the event organizers as much advance notice as possible,” Heron stated.
In 2020, the rodeo was also cancelled due to COVID-19. Last year, the city decided to cancel all public events until June 1 which affected festivities surrounding the rodeo.
For more on this story, pick up a copy of our May 12 paper next week.
