RDP Creates Community Memories During Westerner Days 2024

350 pompoms and 365 meters of garland. 2,000 fluffy pancakes and 2,000 savoury sausages feeding 1,000 hungry central Albertans. More than 75 of our faculty and staff greeting thousands of central Albertans along a parade route and at a pancake breakfast. This all adds up to one memory-filled week as Red Deer Polytechnic participated in the 2024 Westerner Days Parade and capped the week off with our first-ever pancake breakfast. 

Westerner Days Parade

The festivities began with our enthusiastic participation in the Westerner Days Parade, on July 17. RDP’s float showcased the creativity and skill of our talented team. Staff from the School of Trades and Technology lent their expertise to build the float, including a rotating sculpture of the RDP logo. Marketing & Communications team members took a couple of hours to decorate the float, complete with RDP’s signature green and purple colours showcased in pompoms, garland and other décor. 

As the parade kicked off on a beautiful, sunny morning, RDP’s float, accompanied by Rufus, our beloved mascot, President Stuart Cullum and numerous faculty and staff, walked through the streets of downtown Red Deer, greeting thousands of central Albertans, spreading cheer and showcasing our post-secondary institution’s vibrant community spirit. 

Capping off the week’s festivities, we hosted our first-ever pancake breakfast on Friday, July 19 on RDP’s main campus. This event was a resounding success, drawing in community members, as well as RDP faculty, staff and students, all eager to enjoy the morning feast. 

RDP's Pancake Breakfast

The pancake breakfast was more than just a meal—it was an opportunity for attendees to engage with RDP’s diverse programs and initiatives. Faculty and staff representing our 80+ programs were on hand to share insights about educational opportunities, applied research projects, the institution’s sustainability efforts and more. Interactive games and engaging booths added to the festive atmosphere, making it a fun and informative event for people of all ages. 

We appreciate the invaluable support we received from Westerner Park, who donated 40 kilograms of pancake mix, as well as lots of syrup and butter, to help make our breakfast a success. We enjoyed having Westerner Park Board of Directors members join us to share their pancake grilling expertise, too.  

RDP’s first-ever pancake breakfast was made even more special as 106.7 Rewind Radio provided upbeat music, with announcers Matt and Ted broadcasting their morning show live from campus. The event also saw numerous dedicated RDP employees volunteering, including from our partner organizations, to ensure everything ran smoothly and everyone had a great time. 

The feedback from community members and long-time employees was overwhelmingly positive. Many people expressed pride in being part of the Polytechnic community and appreciated the sense of community these events fostered. 

We are excited to continue our tradition of community engagement and look forward to participating in next year’s Westerner Days.

We invite everyone to join us at future events and to be part of the RDP community. View upcoming events at RDP.