The total number of visitors to Whoop-Up Days was recorded at 40,178, which is the highest number for a paid-admission festival. (Photo: LNN)

By Christian Oldale

Whoop-Up Days 2024 sees over 40,000 attend

Aug 28, 2024 | 12:23 PM

The Lethbridge & District Exhibition (LDE) is very happy with Whoop-Up Days this year.

Whoop-Up Days 2024, which ran from August 20 to 24 at the Exhibition grounds, returned to paid admission after experimenting with free admission in 2023.

Paul Kingsmith, Director of Community Engagement for LDE says 2024 was a record setting year.

The total number of visitors to Whoop-Up Days was recorded at 40,178, which is the highest number for a paid-admission festival. 2023 saw record attendance of 77,263 with the free admission.

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LDE says several factors helped drive the record attendance this year, including the headlining musical acts at the Original 16 Stage, the Free ‘Til 3 promotion with Gas King, and a larger midway.

Kingsmith added, “The return of headliner music entertainment certainly helped our attendance, as did increased crowds at the Siksikaitsitapi Powwow and the Lethbridge & District Pro Rodeo. We also saw a large increase in corporate partnership, which helps to show how much our community values this event and we are thrilled with the reaction from our community.”

Events at Whoop-Up Days like the Lethbridge & District Pro Rodeo and the Siksikaitsitapi Pow Wow recorded very high attendance numbers, with the Rodeo saying that over 6,100 people attended over the three days.

LDE also announced the winners of awards from the Whoop-Up Days Parade:

• Children & Youth: Peak Elite Cheerleading
• Historical: Standing Alone Family
• Comic and Novelty: D Signs & Design Services
• Small Commercial: Cookie Crimes Ice Creamery
• Equine: Southern Alberta Trailriders
• Visiting: City of Cranbrook
• Large commercial: Southland Trailers
• Community: Lethbridge & Area Métis Association
• Most entertaining: Lethbridge BMX
• Grand aggregate: Lethbridge & Area Métis Association

Whoop-Up Days will return to the Lethbridge & District Exhibition in 2025, from August 19 to 23.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now.

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