Whoop-Up Days ‘off the charts’ so far, with strong attendance and good vibes

Whoop-Up Days is Lethbridge’s largest summer festival, featuring Midway rides, food trucks, a marketplace with local goods, and a variety of events for all ages.

Kingsmith says he loves that the fair brings so many professionals together from different fields, providing a great environment for collaboration and sales.

He adds that it has a large economic impact overall.

“You have over 50 vendors in the marketplace, we have 20 food trucks, we have over 20 vendors in the Indigenous marketplace, and then we have other additional vendors in West Coast Amusements and Entertainment that does the lumberjack show,” says Kingsmith, adding that many of these companies hire additional staff to take on the extra workload of serving a five-day event with long hours.

Paul Kingsmith on the collaborative environment at Whoop-Up Days.

One of the returning food truck vendors is GMP Homemade Taste, which has been serving authentic Filipino cuisine since 2005.

Owner Mavel Predas and her family are working Whoop-Up Days for the second time, describing last year’s debut as an amazing experience.

“I’m so proud. Last year, different cultures, they taste it for the first time, and then they said every day, five times a day or three times a day, they come back to us and give feedback, and they said, this year, I’ll see them again,” exclaimed Predas.

She says that when she contacted LDE about returning this year, she wanted to do it for the love they received from the public.

“I fight for this. I fight for my supporters and for my family. It’s a big opportunity for us as a family. We made it as one. My kids, their passion is with supporting me as their mom. Their dad is the chef.”

Mavel Predas on returning to Whoop-Up Days.

Whoop-Up Days activities are taking place at the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre, including:

West Coast Amusements Midway
Whoop-Up Days Marketplace, Family Fun Zone and Community Stage
Extreme Lumberjacks
Lethbridge & District Pro Rodeo
Magic Bean Ag Show
Kids Pedal Tractor Pull
Siksikaitsitapi Princess Pageant
Siksikaitsitapi Music Showcase
Siksikaitsitapi Powwow
Jumbo Bites and 6th Street Sweets
Food Truck Zone
Original 16 Beer Garden
Pure Power Wrestling’s Hot Summer Night
Original 16 Stage live music
- Headlined by Trevor Panczak on Aug. 20, Bebe Buckskin on Aug. 21, Trooper and Econoline Crush on Aug. 22, and Chad Brownlee on Aug 23
Fireworks Finale

A new addition this year is the Whoop-Up Wrap-Up on Sunday, August 24. This is a midway-focused event with a pared-down list of activities, but admission is only $5.

Whoop-Up Days tickets and West Coast Amusements wristbands can be purchased in person at any Lethbridge or Picture Butte Gas King location. Tickets are also available at whoopupdays.ca.

A full list of events and information is available at whoopupdays.ca.

Items from a food truck media preview event on Thursday, August 21. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

Some of the highlights of the Whoop-Up Days fairgrounds at the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

Mavel Predas of GMP Homemade Taste is showing off a few of her culinary creations. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

Some of the highlights of the Whoop-Up Days fairgrounds at the Agri-food Hub & Trade Centre. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

by David Opinko

Whoop-Up Days ‘off the charts’ so far, with strong attendance and good vibes

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