July 9, 2009 marks the 3rd annual Communica Stampede Party. "It's the social event of the season" states Doug Ford, Partner of Communica Public Affairs. "We're kicking it up a notch this year", he says, "I don't want to ruin the surprise, but lets just say I might be challenging a few individuals to some calf roping."
The annual Stampede Party is a way for Communica to bring together clients, past colleagues, and friends to catch up each year. I attended my first Communica party in 2008 and even though it happened to be on the coldest day of the summer, it was definitely a memorable event. How so? Perhaps the highlights were catching people two-stepping in the hallway of Communica's office building, meeting clients who I had worked with for months but had never met, or sitting on the porch with a tasty barbequed burger and debating the trials and tribulations of engaging the public.
The Calgary Stampede is a sacred tradition in this city. It has helped to shape Calgary's identity for decades. What was once a festival to celebrate western culture and watch rodeo has turned into much more. The corporate Stampede Party has become as big of a tradition as the bull riding. So dust off your boots, pull out the bandanas and stop by Communica for some "chillin' and grillin". Yeeha!