4 days ago
Going shopping? Calgary Stampede Market has some unexpected items for sale
The midway might be best known for fun and funky food items, but the Calgary Stampede Market located in the BMO Centre certainly has some twists and turns up and down its alleyways.
Article content
Stampede-goers looking to shop the wide wares on offer might have been taken by surprise at some of what you can get at the Market.
Article content
Article content
A new grill
Article content
Iced Out by Alexa is offering grills, tooth gems and on-the-spot tooth whitening from their booth down the 0100 laneway of the Market. They're making their first appearance on the Stampede grounds this year, and for owner Alexa Kayembe, it's her first Stampede entirely.
Article content
'It's been a lot more than I expected. When people talk about the kind of traffic that Stampede attracts, I kind of underestimated what they meant,' Kayembe said.
Article content
Those looking for a new grill will have molds and impressions taken before the final product is produced and shipped out at a later date. Tooth whitening and gems can be offered on the spot, with the jewelry being her biggest seller so far.
Article content
'It is a way of self-expression — I know people are really into that, especially these days,' she said. 'If you don't want to colour your hair, you don't have to. You can just come get a tooth gem, express yourself that way.'
Article content
Bless Thee Fashion is on their third Stampede straight. They have a number of items available straight off the rack, including full suits, decorative jewelry and 'big floppy hats' that they're hoping to get in the hands of attendees trying to beat the heat, said CEO Bless Tata.
Article content
Article content
Their focus this year, however, is fully bespoke. They've brought fabric samples of all kinds and will take measurements for interested buyers on the spot for them to pick up at their brick-and-mortar location in New Horizons Mall.
Article content
'The sparkling jackets,' Tata said. 'They're eye-catching. Somebody will step in from the west or the east, before they get here, they already know about the booth.'
Article content
The Alberta Government has its own toe in the Market waters, with a booth featuring the Apprenticeship and Industry Training program.
Article content
'There's a lot of people that are in-person, people-people,' said Darrel Gordon, an apprenticeship and industry training officer helping run the booth. 'We're here promoting skilled trades, our program, helping anybody who has questions about the trade.'
Article content
The booth is partnered with Lethbridge Polytechnic, looking to spread the good word of the Albertan trades industry, and letting them know how to get in touch for apprenticeship supports. It's their second year running the booth, and they say it has been a great success.
