Contributing around $37 million to the local economy, the Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) is certainly a welcomed event for Red Deer as well as all of Central Alberta.

From solidly booked hotels with room for horse trailer parking, to theme nights at local bars and restaurants, to cowboy hats and boots flying off the shelf, Red Deer and area has truly embraced the CFR.

Marketing and Communication Manager with Tourism Red Deer Vicky Loughlin says places like restaurants, bars and hotels, especially around the Westerner Park area, where more than ready for the influx of guests and competitors, some of whom brought their own horses for competition.

“We’ve had a lot of communication with Westerner Park in terms of making sure that all the hotels have programing, and signage and that a welcome is created for the guests.”

Loughlin says people from all over Alberta are in town to check out the rodeo, and it's having little impact on locals when it comes to bogging down major roadways. 

“I think having Westerner kind of on the corner of the City there, the traffic flows well and we’ve got the roundabout there. We definitely notice that people are here, but I don’t think that should be looked at as a deterrent for locals to be in that area. Or maybe even they can check out a show themselves. Just because we have other people here attending the events and taking them in doesn’t mean that our residents can’t go and enjoy a show or two as well.”

Over 120 competitors from across the globe are in town for the CFR, which goes until Sunday, November 3rd, where the main rodeo championships start at 2pm.