“Star Trek” icon William Shatner, everyone’s favourite home-grown talent, received the warmest of welcomes as he acted as Grand Marshall at the Calgary Stampede Parade this weekend alongside Canadian Olympians Denny Morrison and Gilmore Junio.
The parade route, which runs two and a half miles, always begins with the World Champion Calgary Stampede Showband, and in tow this year was Montreal-born Captain James T. Kirk himself, decked out in a cowboy hat and waving to the some 250,000 people who are estimated to have been there. The 83-year-old is an Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner, not only becoming a household name through the “Star Trek” franchise of TV shows and movies but also for roles on such hit shows as “Boston Legal” and “The Practice.”
“William Shatner is one of my favourites and he’s my big draw too,” said fan Sandy Neiley (The Canadian Press). “This is fabulous for Calgary and I think this is wonderful that we get so many people every year for the Stampede parade.”
Prime Minister Stephen Harper was on-hand at the Calgary Stampede opening festivities with his wife at his side, as was Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau. “We don’t get to spend enough time here, so this is a great time of year to do it,” Harper told CBC News.
The Calgary Stampede runs until July 13th.
Photo: FayesVision/WENN.com
