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1 Stampede, 2 Hours... 3... It's on! |
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Written by Erin Frustaci
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Wednesday, 21 June 2006 |
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Page 1 of 11
 EVEN BUTCH CASSIDY and the Sundance Kid couldn’t survive 12 straight days of Stampede. The grandiose Greeley event can get overwhelming with all of its amazing attractions, but NEXTnc is here to help. So grab that stopwatch and head out to Island Grove Regional Park for the Greeley Stampede which runs June 23 through July 4, ‘cause we’re gonna show you how to maneuver the Stampede in the time it takes to watch your favorite John Wayne movie.
In two hours or less, you can get ejected into the air, devour a porkchop on a stick and marvel at fine art. Get ready, you are in for a wild ride.
1. Parking
Time: 10 minutes
Cost: You better believe it .
First thing’s first. You’re going to have to factor in time for parking. To avoid huge crowds, try going early in the morning. There are two main strategies, choose wisely.
Strategy 1: Try to park as close as possible for $7. If you luck out and find a space right away, you’ll save time walking in. The down side though, is you might spend more time driving around than it’s worth.
Strategy 2: Park on the other side of the foot bridge, north of the Poudre River, for $5. You’ll save some money, but it might take longer to jog in.
Either way, get those sneakers ready.
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 2. Ejection Seat
Time: 15 minutes, including waiting in line
Cost: $30 for individual rider, $20 per person for two people
if you’re an adrenaline junkie or at least aspire to become a human yo-yo, the Ejection Seat is a Stampede must. Who wouldn’t want to be catapulted 160 feet into the air, free fall, then bounce up again with the help of a bungee cord? Just make sure you don’t pee your pants!
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3. Restrooms
Time: 8 minutes, if you make it there and there isn’t a long line
If you are feeling a little queasy by now, you better high-tail it to the restroom and pray there isn’t a long line. The main restrooms are located in the center of the park, near the food court.
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4. Food Court
Time: 5 minutes
Cost: Up to your palate.
Ah, much better. With the wonderful aromas filling the air, you might as well grab some grub. Stampede food vendors offer just about everything from monkey balls (fried Thai meatballs), to pizza. Our recommendation for time-saving purposes is to go with something on a stick. Ummm... Porkchops on a stick, deep fried candy bars on a stick, and deep fried Twinkies.
“The most popular with the Stampede staff is the chicken on the stick,” said Justin Watada, director of marketing for the Stampede.
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5. Free stage music
Time: 20 minutes
Stop by the free stage for a little while to enjoy some music from regional and national up-and-coming bands. A great amount of talent will take the stage each day. If you are running behind schedule, you can always enjoy the music while you wait in line for food or the restroom.
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6. Kids Korral
Time: 15 minutes
Cost: Minimum fee
Goats and sheep and tigers, oh my! This year, the Kids Korral is roping in the wild by featuring a Bengal tiger show three times a day. These magnificent animals will definitely catch your eye. And, as always, the petting zoo will be back again — proving you don’t have to be a kid to have fun at the Kids Korral.
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7. Western Art Show
Time: 12 minutes
Cost: Free
If you are dripping in sweat by now, then it is time to head over to the art show in the exhibition building. In its seventh year, the art show has the backing of 40 artists from 10 states and Canada.
“The Western Art Show has some fantastic paintings,” Watada said. A new addition this year is photography, which Watada expects to be a huge success. With so many different things to look at, it is easy to lose track of time, but if you want to see everything, you better move along.
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8. Bill Hames Carnival
Time: 20 minutes
Cost: Varies for games, rides
“The Bill Hames Carnival has pretty much every carnival game you can think of,” Watada said. From darts to ski ball, you can try your luck at winning fun carnival prizes. Remember when planning your itinerary that tickets for games and rides cost money, so factor purchasing those into your time. If you are looking for thrills, Watada said they are planning on having a full-sized roller coaster this year. But don’t get sick to your stomach, you won’t have time to make it back to the bathrooms again.
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 9. Pull-ups at the Marine Corps booth
Time: 10 minutes (1 or 2 minutes to actually participate, 1 or 2 minutes beforehand to say to yourself, “Hey, I can do that,” and 6 or 8 minutes before that to convince yourself that you really DO want to get up there, public humiliation be damned)
Cost: Your dignity and arm muscles
It’s like the Festivus feats of strength at the Marine Corps booth. Here, in years past, you got prizes based on how many pull-ups you could do or how long you could hang, keeping your chin above the bar. It’s free and it’s a great way to use muscles you didn’t even know existed. The Marines have also been known to bust out an obstacle course. It’s all fun and games, until the drill sergeant breaks out the stopwatch.
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10. Souvenir Booth
Time: 5 minutes
Cost: How much do you want to remember?
Hurry! You are running out of time. Before you leave, stop by the souvenir booth for all your commemorative T-shirts, posters, mugs, shot glasses, signs, spurs and belt buckles. Be ready to make a quick pick before your final sprint to the car.
Disclaimer: Time is only a guess. Factors like the day and time you go will impact how long it takes. Also, there are scheduled events each day at certain times, so it’s a good idea to consult the schedule before jump-starting your adventure.
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