As a born and raised Calgarian, at times I have perhaps taken this annual event for granted. Now that I have spent the last few years living in Toronto, I realize how much the Stampede has impacted the person I am today. I remember some of my fondest memories of my youth occurring during the stampede and yet many of my friends out east have yet to experience or even understand the significance of those 10 days in July.
I have insisted that I could not possibly sum it up in words but I am going to give it my best shot.
Every year (barring pesky pandemics), the Calgary Stampede’s 10-day festival starts on the first Thursday of July. The Stampede begins with a sneak peak on the eve of the first Thursday, with the fairgrounds (rides and eats), the opening grandstand show and the first performers in tents across the city. For me, the real kick off is the Stampede Parade. I remember the excitement of having my dad head down early to secure the prime parade seats for us kids by the Calgary Police station (for those of you who don’t know, my dad was CPS for 25 years) and the excitement of taking the bus( the #1) with ALL my best friends and their parents and siblings from West Hillhurst to the parade route. We had blankets, snacks, children’s beverages…and wait…there were separate adult beverages – I SEE YOU MOM AND DAD (Zero judgment)
We would enjoy the parade and then enjoy an action packed day of festivities…I imagine naps were involved but it has been a few too many years to confidently speak to those. Every year the city carefully selects an incredible parade marshall to lead the parade, this year, Yellowstone‘s very own star; Kevin Costner, the legendary actor, director, producer and musician leads the Stampede Parade July 8.
Fun Fact: Many moons ago, I had the honour of participating in the parade as a CJAY92 road crew girl with Jerry and Redawg (Good ol’ days of JUGZ – more on that in a post another day).
The fair grounds are essentially the same as the CNE(or so I have been told – maybe this year will be the year! ); delicious, yet artery-clogging-diabetes-inducing treats, slightly sketchy rides for all ages (funhouses, log rides, haunted houses, gondolas, rickety roller coasters, etc.) and beer gardens all around.
In my humble opinion, what makes the stampede special is the community spirit, the musical guests and the incredible rodeo.
The Community Spirit.
Alright, so let me first remind everyone that I was born and raised in Calgary Alberta at the Rockyview hospital…but I am the first to say that Calgary is best described as the offspring of Texas and Florida…with free healthcare! Watching this city come together, to dance, drink and celebrate year after year has been beautiful. I have had the privilege of experiencing the stampede as a child, teen, bartender, corporate event planner, attendee, sponsor, and this year as a regular ol’ guest.
My little brother’s favourite part was the free stampede breakfasts, he and his friends would plan their itinerary in advance to visit as many free community breakfasts around the city as possible. The majority of breakfasts would include the standard pancakes and juice, but some would go all out with bacon, eggs, pancakes, sausages, mimosas, caesars and more!
The city is filled with a plethora of Cowboy attire, mainly cowboy hats and boots and most notably the token White Cowboy hat with the red ribbon.
The corporate events were in my humble opinion better than any Christmas/ winter holiday party I have experienced in my life. Companies take their teams to various Stampede festivities followed by an open bar on the grounds or at a legendary local establishment such as my old employers Cowboys Calgary, or my other stomping grounds Ranchmans (the pole climb is a TENT POLE EVENT don’t @ me).
The Calgary community really bands together on those 10 days every single year, and it was especially evident after the 2013 flood when the community really showed up as the Calgary core was devastated with unprecedented flooding that damaged homes and businesses and our beloved Stampede grounds. “Come Hell or High Water” was the motto and to this day seeing the thousands of volunteers show up to help their neighbours in the aftermath was one of the most incredible events I have witnessed first hand. All of those volunteers came together to ensure that the show could still go on.
The Music.
Alright, it’s time to address the music, for those who know me, I LOVE Country music, I do not care how much you hate it, Country music warms my soul – especially on a hot summer night. I was raised on it (among 60s & 70s soul, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra) and I will always dance to it, sing to it and drink to it. Any country music lover will appreciate how many restaurants and bars around the city will “Go Country” for those 10 days. However, there are so many non country artists that play at establishments like at Cowboys Calgary, Wildhorse Saloon the saddledome and various smaller venues around the city to appease your musical craving.
Hot Tip: If you are planning to go to the fairgrounds, there are free concerts included! Make sure you check out who is playing on the CocaCola stage (It’s family friendly & Free!!) and Nashville North (Also free, 18+ — Get there early because the lines can be brutal).
The Rodeo.
Every afternoon at 1:30 MST top athletes in the rodeo circuit from across North America compete across six different events for 1.5 Mil in prize money.
Every evening at 7:45 MST, corporate sponsored Chuckwagon races (this is for you gamblers!) with 27 Chuckwagon drivers, supported by their outriders and 162 horses vie for prize money and bragging rights. Whether you go with coworkers, family or friends there’s an opportunity to have a couple cold ones, put some money down on your pick and cheer on the best of the best.
The Grandstand show follows the nightly chucks with incredible performances by the Young Canadians and fireworks closing out the show, every single night.
Hot Tip: For those of you at tents, it’s a great way to gauge midnight!)
Animal Care; I know that there are a lot of people who worry about the treatment of animals involved in the Stampede; all I can say is that as a person who has toured the barns and had friends compete, I am confident that the animals I have seen have been treated with incredible care and love through their lives.
The petting farm; for those kidlets and adults who love to see animals up close and personal there is an entire section of the grounds dedicated to education on different animals and breeds from horses to goats to cows and pigs! Sometimes they even bring the fresh babies!!
What else? Well if you aren’t sold by now… I probably won’t sell you but there are a couple more events that deserve some spotlight!
Dog Bowl – If you love dogs – this show is for you! Watch elite dog athletes compete for #1!
Ranchmans Pole Climb
Ladies and gentlemen, this event is a Vanessa favourite; a perfect combination of three of my favourite things; firemen, country and drinks. Every year, the Calgary Burn Society puts on this incredible charity event where our fabulous Calgary Firemen (Usually from the Hot Stuff Calendar) race rodeo Cowboys to the top of a metal pole. You can bid on them in advance, there are a LOT of women who attend and it’s all for a good cause (Also great eye candy for EVERYONE).
Fun Fact: One of my best friends was in the pole climb many moons ago and I made this sign (And then had to make another one for another buddy last minute):
New this year: Whiskey Rose
Newest tent to check out is 17th ave’s newest Nashville style bar (My personal favourite!) They have an incredible lineup of local talent lined up and some of the best humans in the biz. Can’t wait to see what they have in store for their first Stampede!
On top of everything listed above, the stampede is a great time for BBQs with the people you love and a couple quiet ones under the sun, so if you’re looking for a sign to finally check out the Calgary Stampede, this is it.
Dresses every damn day 