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Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Calgary Stampede, AL

1923 Calgary Stampede parade. Description from the Calgary Stampede Archives.
Photo by: W. J. Oliver.

The Calgary Stampede is an annual rodeo, exhibition, and festival held every July in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The ten-day event, which bills itself as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth”, attracts over one million visitors per year.

It also features one of the world’s largest rodeos, a parade, midway, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon racing, and First Nations exhibitions.

The event’s roots are traced to 1886 when the Calgary and District Agricultural Society held its first fair. 

In 2008, the Calgary Stampede was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. Let’s take a look at some fascinating  facts about it;

1. The Festival became an Annual Event after the Calgary Exhibition Merged with the Stampede

Chuckwagon races at Calgary Stampede. Photo by; Dr Haggis.

In 1912, American promoter Guy Weadick organized his first rodeo and festival, known as the Stampede.

He returned to Calgary in 1919 to organize the Victory Stampede in honour of soldiers returning from World War I.

Weadick’s festival became an annual event in 1923 when it merged with the Calgary Industrial Exhibition to create the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede.

Organized by thousands of volunteers and supported by civic leaders, the Calgary Stampede has grown into one of the world’s richest rodeos, one of Canada’s largest festivals, and a significant tourist attraction for the city.

2. The Event brings over One Million Visitors every Year

Grandstand
Photo by: jasonwoodhead23.

The stampede brings over one million visitors every year and has the world’s largest rodeo. It also has a parade, rides, stage shows, concerts, farming games, and racing.

People from Calgary also began wearing cowboy hats and other cowboy gear in the spirit of the event. The stampede began as a farming fair in 1886 and turned into the Calgary Stampede in 1923.

The Stampede exceeded one million visitors for the first time in 1976. The park has since continued to grow year after year. 

3. The Stampede chooses a Queen and Two Princesses 

Each year, a queen and two princesses are selected as Stampede royalty. They are chosen via a contest open to any woman between the ages of 19 and 24 who resides in Alberta.

An emphasis is placed on horsemanship skills and the ability to serve as ambassadors for both the Stampede and the city.

The first Stampede Queen, Patsy Rodgers, was selected in 1946 while the princesses were first chosen the following year.

The royal trio serve one-year terms during which they will make hundreds of appearances throughout southern Alberta and across North America.

They then become members of the Calgary Stampede Queens’ Alumni Association. 

4. Millions of Dollars are Raised for Charity each Year at the Stampede 

The Calgary Stampede is one of the highest-grossing festivals in all of Canada, but the money is not for taking and organizers don鈥檛 take the money. 

It is a non-profit event and the not-for-profit group that puts on the annual show contributes millions to community charities in addition to the Calgary Stampede Foundation, a registered charity in itself.

This foundation invests approximately $ 3 million annually in youth programs such as The Young Canadians School of Performing Arts, the Calgary Stampede Showband and the Stampede School.

5. The Stampede Funds Canada’s Unofficial Performing Arts School

The Calgary Stampede funds Canada鈥檚 unofficial performing arts school
The Young Canadians are a troop of 120 talented teens who hoof it each night in a spectacular performance at the Stampede鈥檚 Grandstand Show.

(Think Glee meets the Super Bowl Halftime Show.) They鈥檙e all members of the Young Canadians School of Performing Arts, which is subsidized by the Calgary Stampede Foundation.

After passing through a series of rigorous auditions, the young people are trained in dance, voice and performance by the school鈥檚 professional faculty.

6. Animal is a High Priority in the Calgary Stampede

Calgary stampede 2016
Photo by: jasonwoodhead23.

 More than 7,500 animals take part in the Calgary Stampede鈥檚 rodeo, exhibitions and educational programs. (Head to the Ag Barns to get up close and personal with these cute critters.)

Perhaps one of the most important Calgary Stampede facts is that every last animal is seen daily by the Stampede鈥檚 on-site vets, which number as many as 10.

Bucking horses receive top-notch medical care, and when they鈥檙e not performing (top bucking horses tend to perform their eight-second ride only a dozen times a year), they鈥檙e living in a natural herd environment at the Stampede Ranch. 

7. It is One of Canada’s Largest Music Festivals 

Each year, more than 60 musical acts perform on the grounds of the Calgary Stampede. They also have dozens of acts that hit Calgary鈥檚 National Music Centre and other venues throughout Cowtown throughout the 10-day event. 

The stampede also has the Coca-Cola Stage鈥攆ree with admission to Stampede Park鈥攚here acts such as the Barenaked Ladies, Nelly Furtado and Marianas Trench have performed.

This year, visitors will be treated to live shows from July Talk, Tokyo Police Club and Carly Rae Jepsen.

8. The Stampede has a Tradition of Free Pancakes 

During the festival, more than 200,000 flapjacks (pancakes) are flipped at community breakfasts across the city and they are completely free.

Saddling up for a Stampede breakfast has been a tradition ever since 1923. Back then, Jack Morton (also known as 鈥淲ildhorse Jack鈥�), moseyed downtown with his chuckwagon and cookstove and served up hotcakes for a hungry crowd.

It has since become a tradition for the stampede and the community to share the pancakes among themselves and visitors. The pancakes are served up with bacon or sausage. 

9. At the Stampede People get to Experience Indigenous Culture 

Calgary stampede 2016
Photo by: jasonwoodhead23.

A village of more than two-dozen tipis has been a strong presence at Stampede ever since its inception in 1912.

The Canadian laws prohibited Indigenous peoples from practising their culture beyond the boundaries of a reserve.

The exception was only the Calgary Stampede, where the Treaty 7 First Nations were encouraged to share their traditions and culture.

They still do today through engaging storytelling and interactive programming.

Elbow River Camp remains one of only three original Stampede attractions alongside the rodeo and parade that continue to this day.

10. During the Stampede the Park becomes Alberta鈥檚 Third-Largest City

Calgary stampede 2016
Photo by: jasonwoodhead23.

Over the years during the 10 days of Stampede more than 1.2-million guests gallop through the gates of Stampede Park.

The average daily attendance at Stampede is 121,497, making it (temporarily) Alberta鈥檚 third-largest city, just edging out Red Deer with its population of 100,418.

The Calgary stampede is one of the best festivals in Canada and has become one of the best tourist attraction events in North America.