Rogers UR Youth Event

The latest technology and young local artists were the main draw for teens aged 13 to 19 who attended the Rogers Ur Youth event held at the Calgary Stampede Corral at the beginning of May.

One of the main events was a texting competition, sponsored by LG. Nimble-fingered participants competed to text and send a given message on a cell phone in the shortest amount of time. The two quickest texters were able to send their messages in under 60 seconds and they each won a new cell phone.

As the day went on, young local artists such as Susie Forsyth, Frantic Artillery and Calum Graham performed for the crowd. Calum Graham, a young musician from High River, Alberta, wowed the crowd with his fantastic instrumental guitar pieces.

Up-and-coming artist Carly Henry was one of the many local artists who spoke highly of the opportunity to play for her peers and to work with other artists as she follows her musical dreams. Carly is a grade 10 student who writes her own lyrics and music, and has previously won the 2007 Calgary Stampede Talent Search. She has shared the stage with Canadian artists such as Emerson Drive and Johnny Reid. When asked what she liked about the Rogers event, Carly replied: “This Rogers event is awesome because a bunch of different artists have been able to sing, different genres, it’s great; it’s a great opportunity for everyone to get out and meet other artists and meet people. It’s a lot of fun.”

This was the first time that Rogers has hosted this teen event in Alberta and those volunteering and attending enjoyed the great music and fun. Event organizer Julie Bogya said she hopes they will do something similar in the future. “What we are trying to accomplish with this event is really just giving back to the community, letting them know that Rogers is not just a big cooperation and that we care about the guys who don’t have artist labels but are still really good,” she said. “We really just want to be present with the youth demographic and at the end of the day, these are the people who use these devices, so it’s really, ‘Hey, we care.’”

Since this was Rogers’ first teen event in the province, I wasn’t sure what to expect; however, I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of local talent and the enthusiasm of the volunteers and organizers. I hope many of you will join me next year in attending this cool teen-oriented event.