Courtesy of Spruce Meadows
Spruce Meadows is bringing the world of superheroes to the showjumping ring this Father's Day with a Marvel-themed celebration.
The Calgary venue will host a range of activities on Sunday, June 16, including live music, photo ops with roaming characters, interactive exhibits, and fan-focused attractions tied to Marvel Comics. The event is part of Spruce Meadows' 50th anniversary celebrations.
The day will also feature several marquee competitions, including The 'National' presented by Rolex, the FireFit Championships, and a Salute to First Responders.
The event will also serve as a chance to grab a copy of the exclusive comic book commemorating Spruce Meadow's 50th Anniversary.
"Featuring iconic X-Men characters like Wolverine, Beast, Storm, and Jean Grey, the comic book, called The Spirit of Spruce Meadows, blends thrilling action with Spruce Meadows' rich history—and throws in plenty of humorous twists along the way," reads a media release from Spruce Meadows.
The limited-edition comic will be available at Spruce Meadows throughout the summer tournament season, with four collectible covers.
The first variant, revealed June 6, showcases Storm, Kitty Pryde and Alberta-born Wolverine.
The second, released June 13, features fan favourites Gambit and Rogue.
When lined up, all four covers will create a complete image, and matching posters will be available on site, while supplies last.
When placed side-by-side, the four covers form a single panoramic image. Matching posters will also be available on site while supplies last.
This isn't the first time Marvel heroes have touched down in the Calgary area.
The Calgary Stampede has appeared in two Marvel comics: Uncanny X-Men #121 in 1979 (titled Shoot-Out at the Stampede!) and The Amazing Spider-Man: Chaos in Calgary in 1992, part of a five-issue Canadian arc.
Along with the Father's Day festivities, the day will also feature a few events and things to see:
- The ‘National’, presented by Rolex
- EPIC Weekends at Spruce Meadows
- The FireFit Championships, presented by Cenovus
- Salute to First Responders, presented by Cenovus
- Food, beer gardens, music, entertainment, Kids' Zone, and more!