The Bonnyville Rodeo is coming to town later this week and organizers are working hard to get the grounds ready for another year.
“We’re right on schedule,” says Tina Michaud with the Bonnyvile Pro Rodeo and Chuckwagon Association. “I’ve got equipment sitting in the parking lot waiting to be unloaded. The midway guys are here, they’re waiting to get unloaded. Everybody’s come together and we’re getting all kinds of donations and work in kind from community members and businesses. It’s all coming together really nicely.”
Being an outdoor event, the rodeo is at the whims of mother nature and this summer has been a very wet one in the Lakeland. Fortunately, after a heavy rain today the forecast is for sunshine for the rest of the week. Michaud says that will be plenty of time for the track to dry up for the rodeo on Thursday. She adds that an attraction is coming back for the first time in several years.
“We’ve got the Extreme FMX motocross guys coming in from BC. They do those crazy flips on the ramps with their motorbikes and entertain the kids. It’s pretty exciting for everybody to see.”
The bikes will be the pre-show for every night on the infield of the race track. A couple of dances are planned this year instead of just one as well. A DJ will be providing the music on Friday night and Four Dollar Bill will play for Saturday night. Michaud says there might be a pie eating contest in the schedule too.
While turnout is hard to anticipate as most people buy their tickets the day of, Michaud says the rodeo seems to get bigger every year they put it on.