Come One; Come All to the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth: the Calgary Stampede!
Adrenaline, cowboy adventures, fun foods, one of Canada’s largest annual events, the world’s largest outdoor rodeo, a midway for entertainment, pancake breakfasts, shows, concerts, agricultural competitions and chuckwagon races – you’ll find all this and more for tens days each year in July at the one and only Stampede Grounds in Calgary, Alberta.
Find out about the Calgary Stampede’s highlights, attractions, what to expect and what to wear if you’re visiting Calgary, Alberta in Canada for Stampede Week! Don’t forget to check out our article on the Top 5 Things To Do When Visiting Calgary, Alberta.
All about the Calgary Stampede
The Calgary Stampede was first held in 1912 after the Calgary Exhibition in 1886 took place when the railway was built through Calgary. The Stampede was dreamt to become a rodeo that would bring together the best cowboys from North America into one place. Well, there’s something that keeps bringing cowboys, cowgirls and regular folk alike returning to the Calgary Stampede every year.
Fun in the Midway & Deep Fried Oreos. Don’t miss out on midway food at the Stampede including deep-friend Oreos, Twinkies and Coke – as well as pizza on a stick, bacon on a bun, hot beef sundae, frozen chocolate bananas, fried dough, and taco in a bag. Check out the First Nations Village, the Western Showcase, the Stampede Market or the Bell rodeoX’s extreme sports street course.
Everyday Farm Activities. Watch to see how fast a sheep-shearer can give a sheep a haircut. See how quickly a team of three riders can sort and mark their herds in just one minute. Look on while the World Championship Blacksmith Competition, known as the “Olympics of Blacksmithing,” takes place and the skills of these master craftsmen are tested. Take a Farm Tour which takes you behind the scenes of Alberta’s local farmers and producers’ day to day activities and techniques. Try milking a cow for yourself or let the kids have some fun by trying their hand at the Kids Pedal Tractor Pull event. For more on vacation with the kids, read up on our 10 Great Family Travel Ideas & Destinations for Kids this Summer!
The Classic Rodeo Events. The biggest attraction of the Stampede are the Rodeo events, celebrating that pure cowboy spirit. The rodeo events include: bareback, bull riding, barrel racing, saddle bronc, steer wrestling, tie-down roping and for kids/youth: novice bareback, novice saddle bronc, junior steer riding and wild pony racing. Women’s barrel racing is the only rodeo event for women.
Chuckwagon Races. This event, also known as the GMC Rangeland Derby, always gets a lot of attention – with 36 drivers, 128 horses and $1 million in prize money, how could it not? Four horses are hitched to a chuckwagon, raced through a barrel obstacles course, with four “outriders” who must set up camp (poles, a tent and stove) to finish the race and win. This is also one of the more dangerous of Stampede events, with a history of injuries to both humans and horses.
Grandstand Show & Concerts. The Grandstand Show is not to be missed: it is the bright lights and glamour of the Calgary Stampede. Music acts, gymnastics acts, circus and acrobatics, bright costumes and this year – a giant fire-breathing tricycle – are what you can expect from the show! This year’s line-up of concerts includes: the Judds, Sugarland, Kid Rock and James Taylor.
For all this and more information, tickets, or admission to the Calgary Stampede, please visit: http://cs.calgarystampede.com .
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