Heading Out Early
Okay, so I heard about this Stampede breakfast thing over at Leyden’s Funeral Home. Yeah, you heard me right, the funeral home. Sounded a bit weird at first, not gonna lie. Usually, you think Stampede, you think tents, downtown, maybe a community hall. But Leyden’s? Seemed kinda offbeat.
But hey, it’s Stampede week, right? Free pancakes are free pancakes. Plus, I was curious. What’s a funeral home breakfast like? So, I got myself up, maybe not bright and early, but early enough. Pulled on some jeans and a shirt, nothing fancy.
Getting There and First Look
Hopped in the truck and drove over. Wasn’t too busy on the roads yet, which was nice. Found the place easily enough. They had signs up, pointing towards the back parking lot, I think it was. You could already smell the sausages cooking when I got out of the truck. That familiar Stampede smell, you know?
Walked over and yeah, there it was. Tables set up, a couple of grills going. People were already lined up, chatting away. It didn’t feel gloomy or anything, just like any other outdoor breakfast, really. Staff from Leyden’s were there, wearing aprons, smiling, flipping pancakes. Looked like they were genuinely happy to be doing it.
The Grub and the Vibe
Got in line. Moved pretty quick. Grabbed a plate – pancakes, couple of sausages, little tub of syrup, and some orange juice. Standard Stampede fare, exactly what you expect. Found a spot at one of the picnic tables they had set out.
The food was decent. Hit the spot. Pancakes were fluffy enough, sausages were cooked right through. Can’t complain about free breakfast, especially during Stampede. Sat there eating, watching people.
Here’s the thing: it felt surprisingly normal. Just a bunch of folks from the neighbourhood enjoying some food together. Saw a few faces I kinda recognized, neighbours probably. Lots of families with kids running around a bit. It was just a community gathering, plain and simple. The fact that it was at a funeral home kinda faded into the background once you were there.
Nobody seemed bothered by the location. People were just there for the Stampede spirit, the free food, and maybe a chat with neighbours. It was actually pretty well done. Organized, friendly people running it. They weren’t pushing business or anything, just hosting an event for the community.
Wrapping It Up
Finished my plate, tossed the garbage in the bin they had set up. Didn’t linger too long, had other stuff to get to. But walking back to the truck, I thought, you know, good on Leyden’s for doing that. It’s a nice way to connect with the community, even if the venue is a bit unusual for pancakes.
So yeah, that was my trip to the Leyden’s Funeral Home Stampede Breakfast. Started out thinking it was a bit odd, ended up thinking it was just another nice Stampede morning. Just goes to show, eh?
