Pancake breakfasts herald Calgary Stampede

Stampede fever is in the air in Calgary even before the 10-day event has begun.

Tourism Calgary and Calgary Economic Development celebrated the reopening of 6th Avenue S.E. a day early with a pancake breakfast sponsored by EnCana.

The street, one of the downtown core's main arteries, has been closed since last August for construction of the Bow, EnCana's new 59-storey headquarters.

The developer faced a fine of $14,000 a day if the road was not reopened in time for the Stampede parade on Friday.

"Yes, there was some inconvenience to it. But you know, I don't know of anybody who's done a house renovation or putting up a building that hasn't suffered a bit of inconvenience," said Calgary Mayor Dave Bronconnier Thursday, sporting a western shirt and jeans.

"I mean, it took me just about as long to get my living room painted as it did to go through and build this [road] so I think Calgarians can appreciate that."

Part of the road was rebuilt during the construction, which includes a parking garage six storeys below 6th Avenue.

The annual Stampede parade will be able to travel down 6th Avenue S.E. between 1st and Centre streets Friday morning. That afternoon, the road will reopen to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.

CBC Calgary also hosted a pancake breakfast Thursday morning with the annual event drawing almost 2,000 people for flapjacks and beef sausages.

The Stampede, which celebrates the cowboy way of life, runs July 4-13 this year.