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CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Booze-free Stampede: Local businesses, performers offer non-alcoholic focus
The Calgary Stampede is now underway and many events over the next 10 days could be described as a real party! But many are choosing to enjoy it sober. Although many events on and off the Calgary Stampede grounds coincide with drinking alcohol, some local businesses and entrepreneurs say the non-alcoholic category is rising. Lana Rogers says she'll be having a sober Stampede, continuing her recent year and a half off from drinking alcohol. 'I love Stampede because I get to connect with so many people. I don't need drinks during Stampede,' she said. The entrepreneur founded Champagne Friday, a social club and brand focused on sparkling wines, but now she prefers anything zero-proof. Her strategy for the upcoming 10-day festival is having a fellow sober companion for solidarity when turning down drinks. Rogers adds that going sober is easier now given the wide array of non-alcoholic or low-alcohol-by-volume drinks. 'There are so many amazing non-alcoholic options. If I did this 20 years ago, I might not be able to do it, because I would just be drinking Coca-Cola,' she said. Jayme Minor is a musician and motivational speaker who is also encouraging Calgary families to Saddle Up Sober at an event he's hosting at Ranchman's. 'My message is sober is fun. And mental health is cool,' said Minor. He is open about his struggles and overcoming them in his performances. 'I was addicted to alcohol and drugs, and Stampede was a horrible week for me,' he said before adding, 'You can Stampede, you can have fun and we don't need alcohol.' His all-ages event runs from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. The Calgary Stampede is now underway and many events over the next 10 days could be described as a real party! But many are choosing to enjoy it sober. The Calgary Stampede is now underway and many events over the next 10 days could be described as a real party! But many are choosing to enjoy it sober. Moderation on the rise Whether a consumer is completely dry or is simply curious about cutting back, many Calgary businesses are taking advantage of a growing market. Although Annex Ales has been making sodas like root beer since 2015, this year, one-third of all sales by volume are comprised of sodas. 'Many of our consumers are transitioning between sometimes drinking and sometimes not. It's more of a situational kind of thing for most customers,' said Andrew Bullied, co-founder of Annex Ales. Village Brewery now sells four varieties of non-alcoholic beers to mimic the craft beer flavour. 'It's grown every year since we've launched them (back in 2019.) It's our fastest-growing product line by far, so that tells us where the consumers are at,' said Jackson Stewart, director of marketing for Village Brewery. He doesn't expect the trend will slow down. 'I think we are going to see this stick around. I think we are going to see more styles, more exploration (and) different categories emerge out of this non-alcoholic trend.' The Calgary Stampede is now underway and many events over the next 10 days could be described as a real party! But many are choosing to enjoy it sober. The Calgary Stampede is now underway and many events over the next 10 days could be described as a real party! But many are choosing to enjoy it sober. Alcohol sales down A 2024 report from market insight company NIQ found that 75 per cent of non-alcoholic beverage purchases also included alcohol-containing beverages, suggesting consumers of zero-proof drinks don't have a black-and-white stance on booze. That same year, Statistics Canada released data suggesting Gen Z, people aged 27 and younger, are drinking less overall. IWSR, an international data collection group dedicated to beverage alcohol consumer trends, says that appears to be changing. 'They were late to the party—they are not skipping the party entirely,' said Marten Lodewijks, president for IWSR Americas. The share of adults of legal drinking age up to age 27 is 73 per cent, behind the overall share of adults at 78 per cent, who reported drinking alcohol within the last six months. Lodewijks says this number has grown since late 2024. 'Everyone is drinking less—it's not a Gen Z-specific phenomenon. Older consumers are also drinking less, and there's lots of reasons for that.' He says alcohol sales across the globe are down in the past two years, as consumers increasingly focus on health and wellness but are also impacted by the rising cost of living crisis in many regions.
CTV News
an hour ago
- CTV News
Regina highland dancer heads to national championship for 7th straight year
For the seventh straight year, the highland dance community will see Regina dancer Courtney Horejda representing Saskatchewan at the Scotdance Canada Championship Series. 'We're just so excited, it's such an honour to represent Saskatchewan,' Horejda said. 'We get to wear the Saskatchewan tartan, and it's a great opportunity to see all different parts of Canada over the years and meet lots of different people. Horejda has had an extensive career in the sport, starting at just three-years-old. Growing up, she has been training at the Summerfield School of Highland Dance, with owner Anette Summerfield, who has been her instructor since she was five-years-old. Horejda has also brought her own skills to the teaching world, where she teaches kids as young as two years of age. She teaches two classes: the 'Tartan Tots,' which teaches kids ages 2-4 the basics of dancing. 'We'll have certain songs that teach the foundations of highland dance,' she said. 'Sometimes there's nursery rhymes and stuff, so we make highland dance movements into something fun and digestible for toddlers.' She also teaches a competitive class, which has a range of ages. It's a full circle scenario for Anette Summerfield, who has seen Horejda develop into a star, as well as someone for younger kids to look up to in the studio. 'She is the role model in our dance studio, and she is definitely the ambassador of highland dancing in my mind,' Summerfield said. 'All of our little ones look up to Miss Court. They strive for the same level of dancing that she is able to do.' Since the school opened in 2013, Summerfield sees some similarities that have been passed down. 'Courtney probably encompasses what I would call the 'all around talent dancer,' where she has an eagerness to be competitive,' Summerfield said. 'I think what helps Courtney is that there's a softness that comes as well, which is her love for dance. So she can kind of soften that sort of competitive edge with her passion for dancing.' The Scotdance Canada Championship Series begins on July 5-9 in Ottawa, where participants will be evaluated on four dances: the sword dance, highland fling, the highland reel and the seann triubhas. Horejda and 18 Saskatchewan participants, including four Regina participants, hope to return home with a little hardware and some lifelong memories.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Burger Wars: Apollo Restaurant's Lamborghini Burger
Northern Ontario Watch Burger Wars continues in support of L'arche Sudbury with Rick Wyman heading to the Apollo Restaurant and joining owner Toula Sakellaris to try their Lamborghini Burger.
