I watched a 2,000-pound bull furiously trying to buck a cowboy off its back, ate pancakes at a community breakfast while watching line-dancers perform, met members of tribes of the First Nations as I toured their hand-painted teepees and tasted Flamin’ Hot Cheetos dill pickle pizza.
These are just a few of the activities at the Calgary Stampede – a mashup of a carnival, arts festival and a rodeo celebrating western culture. The fun lasts for 10 days and bills itself as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.” The event, which attracts about 1.5 million visitors, is July 4-23 this year.
Please see our full story on the Calgary Stampede.
I spent two days at the Stampede last year. (During a major heat wave – hello, Canada, what was up with that?!) It was plenty of time to get a great feel for the event, but there’s so much to do you could plan to go even longer.
Here are five reasons you’ll want to grab those cowboy boots and hat and gallop to the Calgary Stampede. While you can wear anything you want, the dress code leans towards hats and boots, with flowy dresses popular with women.
Learn about indigenous people at the Elbow River Camp
We crossed over a bridge and made our way to Elbow River Camp where we could experience the culture of people of the First Nations of Treaty 7. There are 26 beautifully hand-painted teepees set up, with a rotating selection of them available to tour, along with powwow demonstrations, interpretive programs, cultural demonstrations and vendors.
After touring the area and stepping inside a few teepees, we had to try the Bannock Booth where we got a piece of the delicious fried bread popular with the indigenous people.
We met a former Calgary Stampede Princess, Amber, whose family has been involved since 1975. She told us that some families have been involved since the beginning.
One of the most fascinating things to me about the Elbow River Camp is that members of the First Nations in Canada were involved in the Stampede since its beginnings in 1912. The founders of the Stampede, George Weadick and E.L. Richardson, invited indigenous people to participate at a time when there was mass discrimination and they were not allowed to celebrate their cultures on the reserves. Since then the Elbow River Camp has been an integral part of the Stampede with the eldersing teach the next generation the cultural skills to protect their traditions.
“The Calgary Stampede has evolved and upheld a relationship with indigenous people since 1912, when they couldn’t leave the reserve,’ Amber said. “When the Stampede started, they were allowed to leave for 10 days a year to attend. It’s an amazing relationship and will always evolve for the better.”
Shop for western gear and more at the Calgary Stampede Maker Market
In addition to the vendors available at Elbow River Camp, you can find dozens of vendors selling items that include western wear, wood art, jewelry, decorative items, souvenirs and household goods from stalls in the huge Maker Market in the BMO Centre.
While my carry-on suitcase and budget didn’t allow me to purchase some gorgeous hand-stitched cowboy boots, I did buy a pair of hand-made pearl earrings. There’s always room for jewelry, right? And I supported a local artist.
You can take a break from wandering up and down the many aisles of vendors to sit a minute and enjoy live entertainment on the Community Stage.
Please see our related story on Waterton Lakes National Park, about a 2.5-hour drive from Calgary and one of the most gorgeous national parks I’ve ever visited.
Attend the rodeo events at the “Olympics of Rodeos”
Yes, there is plenty of action outside the rodeo ring, but you can’t miss seeing some of the six stampede rodeo events. Some of the best competitors in the world saddle up for barrel racing, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc and bareback events. They aren’t competing just for bragging rights. Close to $2 million was awarded in prize money in 2024.
Sure, I’ve watched every episode of “Yellowstone,” but seeing these events in real time is a real blast. Watching cowboys and cowgirls maneuver a horse around a barrel or wrestle a steer was such an adrenaline rush, especially for a city girl like me whose only exposure to four-legged creatures growing up was the dogs that ran freely on our cul-de-sac.
The real mystery to me were the saddle bronc and bull riders. That a sane person could willingly decide to jump on a creature that weighs up to 2,000 pounds whose only goal is to get rid of you is beyond me. But it’s fun to watch others who are much less risk-averse than me.
A highlight of the rodeo was attending the Calgary Stampede Evening Show where we watched chuckwagon races, relay races, and indigenous relay racing, The Grandstand Show included acrobats and dancers.
A bonus was a “chute tour,” a behind-the-scenes look where we went got to hang out for a few minutes right behind the cowboys and their horses as they waited their turns for the bareback bronc riding event where they attempt to stay on a bucking horse for eight seconds.
Enjoy other entertainment opportunities at the Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede Powwow brings together dancers from First Nations across North America who compete in eight styles of dance in the Scotiabank Saddledome while wearing traditional dress. I didn’t always know what dance I was watching, but found the movements and the music fascinating.
With four stages, the Calgary Stampede also features a full music lineup. Past performers include Katy Perry, Garth Brooks, Keith Urban and Pitbull. While the full lineup has not yet been announced for 2025, Shania Twain will be the headline on Saturday, July 5.
If rides and games are your thing, head to the Midway to test your coordination at carnival games or ride the Superwheel.
Taste favorite foods and new twists on your favorites on the Midway
I would never have thought I would be licking a cheeseburger ice cream cone or chewing on a slice of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos dill pickle pizza.
Our small group of women decided we would eat take turns picking out an unusual food item on the Midway and sharing it with the others. We had a lot of fun perusing the selections and picking which ones to try, then rating our favorites. My shock came when after trying all five, the pizza slice turned out to be my favorite.
Other fun items available included meatball mac & cheese, watermelon burger and a bacon-inspired ice cream sundae. Donuts are hugely popular, with 2 million mini donuts being consumed every year.
There are sit-down dining options, including the Range Food Hall with a variety of offerings and live entertainment. For a more elegant dining experience, try Bar Nineteen Twelve.
After spending some time in the record heat, our group made our way to the blessed cooled air at the Stampede Cellar Champion Wine Experience where we tasted wines from the Stampede Cellar Showdown international wine competition and enjoyed some snacks. Amazing live entertainment included cabaret dancers and dueling pianos.
One afternoon our group enjoyed a buffet lunch at the Wine Garden inside the BMO Center, another relaxing occasion and chance to just chill.
A fun thing that everyone in the city can enjoy are the community pancake breakfasts that take place around the city. Dozens of organizations offer free pancake breakfasts, and estimates are that more than 200,000 pancakes were consumed last year. The tradition started in 1923, an homage to the pioneers who ate the tasty cakes out of chuckwagons.
I stayed at the Grey Eagle Resort & Casino, an entertainment destination owned by the Tsuut’ina Nation. Signs alerted guests to the free breakfast one morning, so I made my way to the event center where I was stunned to see hundreds of people in line. I waited to get my syrupy cakes and sat down to enjoy the live entertainment, which included line dancers.
How to Experience the Calgary Stampede any time of year
If you have to plans to go to Calgary any other time of year, head to the SAM Centre in the new Cultural and Entertainment district, adjacent to the Stampede Grounds.
Here you’ll find interactive experiences and displays that tell the story of the Calgary Stampede. You can even try your hand at rope twirling. It took me a few minutes but I got that rope to spin in a circle and I did a fantastic job sitting on the fake steer.
And don’t miss Stampede Sensations, a 270-degree multimedia experience, about the closest thing you can get to being at the Stampede.
Be sure to stop at Maisie Eatery just outside the entrance to the SAM Centre for a fantastic meal with breakfast items, salads, soups, sandwiches and pizzas. Or just treat yourself to one of the decadent desserts. I couldn’t resist trying a piece of carrot cake that was topped with a cowboy hat.
– Jan Schroder, Editor-in-chief