Magazines work during Stampede week. Gasp!

That's not entirely true across the board, but the folks I know put the "over-and-above" in overtime. With Stampede kicking off today in Calgary with an extravagant parade, it seems like the whole city's hunkering down for its annual stay-cation.

Not the case for many Alberta magazines. Long lead-times can mean wrapping up stories for publication in September, perhaps even starting on October stories. The long leads also mean that the majority of mag folks won't get an all-access media pass (too bad!). But that's ok. While you're on the Stampede grounds eating your corn dogs and mini-donuts, Alberta magazines are working furiously behind the scenes. And so are we, here at AMPA. We're open Monday to Friday from 9 to 5, all summer long. Email us, phone us, come visit (just phone the office before dropping by)--we're happy to chat with you whether you're a newbie or seasoned pro.

On a personal note, I plan on hitting at least five pancake breakfasts over the next 10 days. Yahoo! Wish me luck and if you're in Calgary, happy Stampeding!

www.albertamagazines.com