“What a show”: 36 years ago when Calgary opened the Olympics

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When the XV Winter Olympic Games opened on February 13, 1988, the eyes of the world turned to Calgary. 60,000 spectators gathered at McMahon Stadium for the opening ceremony; two billion people watched on television; and there were 5,000 to 6,000 performers, 1,000 pigeons, hundreds of horses, and aerobatic jet squads. Most tickets were priced at $70. The cost of the ceremony was 12 million dollars.

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Brian Mulroney, the prime minister at the time, said the event was amazing and one of the most beautiful he had ever witnessed, adding: “I've seen a lot of ceremonies. I've never seen anything moving and sharp because they're all unprofessional.” Thousands of performers of the ceremony were everyday Calgarians.

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Some secrets or little-known events from the first day of the 1988 Games?

• First, former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau also attended the opening ceremony with an unidentified woman. A reporter who watched him leave asked Trudeau what he thought of the show, to which Trudeau replied, “It was beautiful.”
• Two athletes carrying the Olympic flag were not allowed to enter the stadium because they were not wearing the appropriate identification cards. Officials eventually resolved the issue and the pair were able to attend the ceremony.
• Four uniformed members of the Calgary Police Tactical Squad — armed with rifles — were denied entry due to lack of credentials until a security inspector could identify them.
• Austria's flag bearer – Leonhard Stock – missed his bus from the village of Canmore to the stadium, putting his presence in jeopardy. A helicopter was dispatched to take him to Canmore and he was flown to the helipad at Prince Island Park, where two city police officers were able to get him to the stadium in time.
• On the day of the opening ceremony, wind gusts reached 60 km/h, forcing the cancellation of the unprecedented hot air balloon demonstration. More than two years in the planning, 105 hot air balloon pilots from around the world gathered in Calgary and were scheduled to float their balloons over McMahon Stadium during the festivities. “I was devastated,” said pilot Dave Knowler, who also organized the event.

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First Day of Olympic Back: The Successes and Secrets of the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics

Day two of the Olympics: Finn flies, Jansen falls, Eddie soars — “Now I'm an Olympian”

Day Three of the Olympics: Start the pin trade

Fourth day of Olympics: Scalpers say business picks up, sex workers see slowdown

Day five of the Olympics: The Games have become the biggest competition in the city's history

The sixth day of the Olympic Games: the luge team increases; Orser's Glow; men's hockey is disappointing

Day seven of the Olympics: Canada wins its first medal

Eighth day of the Olympics: Battle of the Bryans

Day Nine of the Olympics: The golf course opens during the “Winter” Olympics in Calgary

Day 10 of the Olympics: Another valuable medal for Percy

Olympia Rewind Day 11: Collecting medals for Canadian speed skaters, flyers and gliders

Olympic Day 12: Soviets deny Canadians golden dreams

Day 13 of the Olympics: Controversial referees, disqualified Canadians and a tragic skiing accident

Day 14 of the Olympics: The spirit of the Games shines

Olympic Games Day 15: Manly's Miracle on Ice

Day 16 of the Olympics: Thousands of Calgarians say, “I helped. I was a part of it.'

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