It was a bit of a coincidence that the first two sporting events Mack and I had the chance to attend this summer both fell on the same weekend, but it worked out wonderfully given how beautiful it has been these past few days. Surprisingly, the mosquitoes weren’t bad on either night.
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
First up on Friday was an Edmonton Capitals game with some of my fellow Downtown Edmonton Community League members. Given we were playing the rival Calgary Vipers, we expected a larger than usual crowd, but the good weather (and promise of fireworks) also seemed to be big draws – there were over 3,000 people in the stands that night.
Play ball!
The game went pretty quick – the Caps seemed to put up a fight in the first half of the game, making a dent in the Vipers’ 4-0 lead amassed in the first inning, but in the end, they just couldn’t muster up the runs. The Capitals fell 9-6.
Captain Capital’s superpowers weren’t enough
In between innings, on-field antics kept the crowd entertained, including my favourite – a race featuring several mascots. I had no idea giant perogies (named Chee and Mo for one of the sponsors) could be so hilarious.
Mascot race
It was to be the last “Fireworks Friday” game until August 12, so we were fortunate to catch it that evening. Although Mack and I can see glimpses of the fireworks from our balcony, there was no doubt the best views are from the seats at Telus Field.
Light show
And no trip to Telus Field is complete without beer and a “gourmet” hot dog. Since The Dawg Father closed, the ballpark is the only place that I’ve come across in Edmonton that offer creative hot dogs (menu here). Mack’s Mexicali Dog ($5), topped with chili, nacho cheese, jalapenos and salsa cream was spicy, but texture wise was one-note. On the other hand, my K97 Dog ($5), with chili, cheese, fried potatoes, bacon and onions was a definite winner – I loved that they used bacon strips instead of bits, and the crispy fried potatoes made all the difference, adding a delicious salty crunch.
Mack tries his first Molson M
Mexicali and K97 Dogs
Football Frenzy
Mack’s Dad was in town again this weekend, and as Kim was able to secure us some free tickets to the Edmonton Eskimos game, we spent Saturday evening together at Commonwealth Stadium (curiously, it was the first-ever “Ladies Night”, with the first 1,000 women through the gates eligible to win a diamond ring. We didn’t arrive early enough to cash in, but we had to wonder if it was a draw at all).
All decked out in Esks gear
This was the first time we’ve ever had seats on the east-facing side of Commonwealth, and boy, does it make a difference. Protected by shade, it definitely made watching the game more pleasant.
Hanging in the shade
The Esks have been actually doing pretty well this year, undefeated at 2-0 so far. Playing the BC Lions, we were hopeful that they would continue their streak. After the first quarter, we were even more optimistic.
Ready, set, hike!
Their momentum carried the length of the game, and the Esks beat the Lions 33-17.
Touchdown fireworks
Because of how one-sided the game was, some fans had the need to find other ways to entertain themselves…such as building a pyramid out of empty beer cups.
How high can you go?
Of course, we had to indulge in some stadium food. We chose mini doughnuts (thinking they would be a nice pre-cursor to the midway fare at Capital Ex). The doughnuts were crunchier and had less cinnamon sugar coating than Those Little Donuts (our favourite), but made a decent snack.
Mini doughnuts!
Thanks again Kim for the free tickets!
Only Here for the Food 