Breadcrumb Trail links
- Local news
Watch this page throughout the day for updates on the Calgary getaway!
Publication date:
July 08, 2022 • 16 minutes ago • 11 minutes reading • Join the conversation People spend the sunny afternoon at Stampede Park on the first day of the Calgary Stampede on Friday, July 8, 2022 Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia
Article content
What is happening now
Advertisement 2
This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Article content
Advertising 3
This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Article content
At the Stampede, Day 1
Picture perfect in the middle
Our photographers were at work documenting the first day of the Stampede.
Jackson, 8, plays a game at Stampede Park in the middle. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia People cool off under the fog arch in the middle of Stampede Park. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia It’s a busy day at Stampede Park. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia The environment was busy on day one of the Calgary Stampede. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia People enjoy riding in the middle. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia Children cool off under the fog arch in the middle. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia
Stampede Admission: Prices, Bargains and When to Go
Here are a few things to know before you hit the ground running that can help you save a few bucks:
- On July 8, anyone wishing to go straight from the parade to the park can get free admission from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- July 10 is Family Day on the Stampede grounds, where admission is free until 11am and also includes a free pancake breakfast until 10am while supplies last.
- On July 12th, Community Day, there is free admission to the grounds from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There is also free admission all day with free coffee and donuts until 10:30 a.m. for seniors (ages 65+ ).
- On July 13, Children’s Day, you can bring the little ones for a free breakfast in the GMC Stadium courtyard from 8 to 9:30 a.m. while supplies last and enjoy a free variety show from 8 to 10 a.m. Kids’ Day also includes free entry all day for children under 12 and is free for everyone until 10am
Advertising 4
This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Article content
Normal admission prices:
- General tickets (ages 13-64) are $23.
- Tickets for seniors (65+) are $15.
- Tickets for children (ages seven to 12) are $14.
- Children under seven enter for free.
The Stampede Parade is back with Kevin Costner at the helm
2022 Calgary Escape Parade Marshal Kevin Costner rides in Friday’s parade. Gavin Young/Postmedia
Calgary parade boss Kevin Costner made everyone feel like stars Friday morning as the quintessential movie cowboy made his way through downtown on horseback.
The excitement was contagious as Calgarians and visitors flocked downtown for the first full parade since 2019. The event was canceled entirely in 2020 due to the pandemic. And in 2021, a symbolic televised parade was held on the Stampede grounds.
Citizens made it clear they were ready to once again hear the clatter of horses’ hooves on the pavement, feel the beat of the marching band’s drums and wave to the thousands of volunteers who make the parade a reality.
Advertising 5
This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Article content
Read more.
“Corporate Calgary is back,” Stampede organizers say as 2022 event gets underway
Ethan Browder, CEO of Alberta Boot, shows off the company’s new location in Calgary, Alta., Thursday, July 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jeff McIntosh Photo by Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
To outsiders, it’s a rodeo—a 10-day party with cowboy hats, country music, and pancakes galore.
But the Calgary Stampede — which kicked off in earnest Friday with its first in-person parade since 2019 — is also a powerful networking event as well as an excuse for boozy customer lunches.
For merchants, the Stampede is an important business event and an economic barometer for a city and county. That’s why cowboy boot maker Alberta Boot Company’s sixfold year-over-year sales increase in 2022 speaks volumes for the current mood in corporate Calgary.
Read more.
Stampede roars in full force with Sneak-a-Peek night
Advertising 6
This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Article content
People walk past a Stampede window painting on Stephen Avenue in downtown Calgary. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia
The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth is ready to explode again.
The Calgary Stampede opened its doors for its annual Sneak-a-Peek last night, ushering in the return of a full slate of programming for those longing for normalcy and a chance to regroup.
There are new rides, like the debut of the Super Wheel—a 150-foot-tall Ferris wheel—and an always-new menu of adventurous food from vendors.
Chuckwagons will also return, as will a championship-level rodeo and a full lineup of artists featuring some of the biggest names in country music.
Read more.
A Ukrainian refugee family is excited to watch the Stampede parade with donated grandstand tickets
The Masalov family, from left to right: Hlafira, 2, Artem, Stepa, 7, Katerina and Stefania, 5. Photo courtesy of Katerina Masalova
As her family settles in Calgary after fleeing the conflict in Ukraine, Kateryna Masalov is excited that her family will be watching the Calgary Stampede parade from the stands with donated tickets.
Advertising 7
This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Article content
The tickets for the family of six were donated by the company that manages the stands for the parade, Seating U Ltd., so that newcomers can experience the iconic parade first-hand and learn more about the city. Katerina said her three young children couldn’t wait to dress up and enjoy the event on Friday morning.
“I can’t imagine what to expect, but my children want to see something new and unusual from our traditions,” said Katerina.
Read more.
Cowboy hats are flying off the shelves
Sarah Dunlop designs a hat for a customer at Smithbilt Hats. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia
Business is booming at Smithbilt Hats this week as customers are outfitted in cowboy hats before the Calgary Stampede returns.
The local company recorded an unprecedented number of sales in June, and the energy continued this week with the Stampede set to begin Friday, said Kelly Fedorowicz, retail manager and event coordinator at Smithbilt Hats.
Advertising 8
This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Article content
“Our store has been hopping for the past few weeks, from morning to close we have non-stop traffic. This week has set records for people coming into the store,” said Fedorovich.
Read more.
Rush through the ages
In recognition of this year’s event, 10 days a week (between July 4 and July 15) we’re sharing archival photos from the first 10 decades of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
The Origin Story: Escape in the 1910s
The 1912 Calgary Runaway Parade—the first year of what became known as the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth. Calgary Herald Archives
And They’re Away: Escape in the 1920s
The Calgary Stampede Champions of 1927. Photo courtesy of the Calgary Stampede Archives
Legends and Lore: Escape in the 1930s
The old Calgary Stampede grandstand was packed in the 1930s. Photo courtesy of the Glenbow Archives
Coming of Age: Escape in 1940
Eatons lift operators in 1942. Escape attire at the time included fringed skirts, shiny satin blouses and Panama-style straw hats. Cowboy boots have since replaced the pumps and casual shoes seen here. Calgary Herald archive photo
Calgary Stampede pairs princesses in a twist on tradition
Calgary Stampede First Nations Princess Sikapinakii Low Horn, left, and Calgary Stampede Princess Jenna Peters pose for a photo April 29. Gavin Young/Postmedia
Two princesses will rule the Calgary Stampede this year, marking a change in tradition for the 110-year-old western showcase.
Advertisement 9
This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Article content
Stampede Princess Jenna Peters and First Nations Princess Sikapinakii Low Horn have teamed up as a Stampede royal duo. Previously, the Stampede elected a queen, two Stampede princesses and a First Nations princess.
“They have a chance to present the Stampede in a more relatable way than before,” said Kristen Anderson, communications manager.
This year the princesses will have a shorter reign than previous years. The pandemic prevented organizers from holding an in-person pageant, so the decision was made to bring in two princesses to preside over a shortened six-month term from April to October.
Read more.
Belly Up: Your Guide to Stampede Snacks for Friday and Saturday
Luke, 6, eats some of his Stampede breakfast at First Flip on Stephen Avenue on Thursday. Azin Ghaffari/Postmedia
Friday Snacks:
Advertising 10
This ad has not yet loaded, but your article continues below.
Article content
The Mustard Seed’s 13th Annual Stampede Round-Up BBQ: Free Stampede Family BBQ and Party immediately following the Stampede Parade. Live music by The Frontiers, performances by Line Dance Stampede, appearances by Mayor Jyoti Gondek and MP Greg McLean. Where: Center Street between…
Add Comment