Astronaut Jeremy Hansen named 2023 Calgary Stampede parade marshal

Client CNW pour ASC 6 septembre 2018 EricCarriere.ca

The space-bound Canadian Space Agency astronaut is going to lead the 2023 Stampede Parade, organizers revealed Wednesday morning. The parade will come roughly a year and a half before Hansen is set to become the first Canadian to venture to the moon as part of the Artemis II mission.

The lunar flyby, scheduled for late 2024, is planned as the first crewed mission to leave Earth’s orbit since 1972 and will pave the way for deeper space exploration.

“Jeremy Hansen is a trailblazer who exemplifies the values of the Calgary Stampede,” says Will Osler, president and chair of the Calgary Stampede board of directors, in a statement released Wednesday. “His integrity and commitment to community are an inspiration, and all Calgarians, Albertans, and Canadians are proud of him and everything he has accomplished. We are honoured to have Jeremy lead our parade as an example of what you can achieve when you work hard and dream big.”

Hansen said in the release he is “thrilled to be selected as the 2023 Calgary Stampede Parade marshal and to come back to a province that holds a special place in my heart.”

The Calgary Stampede parade begins at 9 a.m. on July 7.

I’m thrilled to announce that I will be the 2023 Calgary Stampede Parade Marshal. I hope to see you along the parade route in July! https://t.co/VYZdZOC139

— Jeremy R. Hansen (@Astro_Jeremy) June 14, 2023