The Ferris wheel is up 🎡 There’s actually some interesting history between the Calgary Stampede, a Ferris wheel, and Heritage Park. Not directly, but still, kinda sorta. Remember Conklin? They used to run the midway at the Stampede. The name used to be all over the park, ticket booths, rides, etc. Conklin Shows was founded in 1916 by James Wesley “Patty” Conklin, who spent his entire life in the midway/amusement/carnival business until he passed away in 1970. His son Jim Conklin then took over and continued shows all over North America. From 1934 until 1975, a company called Royal American Shows ran the Calgary Stampede midway. It was owned by Carl J. Sedlmayr Jr. In 1975, while in Regina for Buffalo Days (now Queen City Ex), the company was raided by Revenue Canada and the RCMP, and Sedlmayr was arrested for tax evasion. He was released after paying what he owed, then left Canada and vowed never to return, which he didn’t. Royal American Shows never came back either, and went unde...