The Calgary Stampede takes place every JulyChris Bolin
It is, arguably, the unofficial kickoff of the Calgary Stampede, the big free breakfast on the Stephen Avenue Mall sponsored by Calgary's economic development agency, ATB Financial and various partners. And while First Flip on Thursday morning was a big crowd-pleaser, there was a sense of heightened anticipation among the hordes of Western-hat-wearing celebrants chowing down pancakes and sausages.
After all, the Stampede actually starts with the Friday morning parade - and this year's big attractions, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, were not arriving in the city till later Thursday afternoon, after resting in a secluded Banff lodge for a day.
Everybody is talking Royals in Calgary, but there are also some big economic concerns on people's minds. Calgary Economic Development used the breakfast to promote its new awareness campaign, "Calgary - be part of the energy." It is aimed at attracting companies, entrepreneurs, all kinds of businesses to Calgary, but the overall message is the city needs people, says the agency's CEO Bruce Graham.
Once again, Alberta is facing down big shortages of workers of all kinds, at all levels.
Expect to see the campaign show up in the rest of Canada.
And while these workers are not just required in the energy industry - and human energy is needed everywhere - the city is clearly going with what it does well, and building on that oil and gas association.