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Rider Nation is known for travelling far and wide to support the green and white, but at Pazzer’s Pub in Calgary, fans don’t have to go far to find a home away from home. More than six hours from the province, local Saskatchewan Roughriders fans gather to keep the spirit alive.
“Game day is a lot of fun. It’s super crazy. It’s very lively and vibrant. Obviously, we see a lot of green. We see the watermelons on the heads,” shares Stephen Yan, marketing manager for Pazzer’s Pub. “So, I think it’s in true Saskatchewan Rider Nation fashion, they do turn out.”
The pub came to be more than 20 years ago after a large number of Saskatchewan residents moved to Calgary. Now, Pazzer’s is consistently recognized as a go-to pub in Calgary, despite the small-town Saskatchewan feel.
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“I think there have been a lot of people over the years that have moved from Saskatchewan to Calgary, such as myself,” said Yan. “I’m originally a Saskatchewan resident. And so being able to find a home in Pazzer’s was something that was really important for me.”
In traditional Saskatchewan fashion, the pub’s food is heavily influenced by Ukrainian cuisine, as well as bites inspired by different towns and cities across the province.
“The fan favourites are definitely our Weyburn wings and the Regina ribs,” says Yan. “A lot of the food that we have here at Pazzer’s Pub is inspired by Ukrainian roots. In Saskatchewan, there’s a lot of history, especially with the Doukhobor community, that were early settlers in Saskatchewan, so it was really important for us to be able to bring some of that old colonial heritage to the Calgary dining scene.”
It’s not just Saskatchewanians stopping by, either. Plenty of Calgary regulars come for the homey feel and the live music to boot.
“We bring that hometown warmth of Saskatchewan,” explains Yan. “I think it’s something that is hard to find here in Calgary, to find that community where you feel like you’re welcomed, that you have that hospitality of being able to come in and be welcomed by everyone.”
The pub is so popular, the Riders’ head coach Corey Mace has even stopped by for a visit.
“He dropped off a flag that was signed. So that was such a great moment for us to have and come by,” says Yan.
Whether it’s Riders game day or a person missing a bit of Prairie feel in the big city, Pazzer’s is proof the green and white are still easy to find.
Watch the video above to get an inside look at the Saskatchewan-themed pub.
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