Slip on your boots and dust off your cowboy hats: The gates to the Calgary Stampede will open today for those who just can’t wait. Read More
The 2025 edition of the Calgary Stampede begins with Sneak-a-Peek today, with general admission at 5 p.m. and early access at 3 p.m.
Advertisement 1
The 2025 edition of the Calgary Stampede begins with Sneak-a-Peek today, with general admission at 5 p.m. and early access at 3 p.m.
Article content
Slip on your boots and dust off your cowboy hats: The gates to the Calgary Stampede will open today for those who just can’t wait.
Article content
Sneak-a-Peek officially begins at 5 p.m. — and for the most eager of Stampede-goers, early access begins at 3 p.m. with a limited experience at a discounted price.
Article content
Article content
Visitors with early-access tickets can get the full Stampede experience once the full show gets underway, according to the Calgary Stampede.
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Article content
Article content
Noon News Roundup
Article content
NEED TO KNOW: STAMPEDE 101
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
What to see: Tenille Townes at Nashville North
Article content
The pride of Grande Prairie, Tenille Townes has been a going concern since moving to Nashville 12 years ago, where she played sets at the iconic Bluebird Cafe and began participating in writing sessions with Music City songsmiths. She was only 17 when she received her first Canadian Country Music Award for Female Arts of the Year and has been accumulating awards, nominations and acclaim ever since. Her most recent single is Backfire, the catchy mid-tempo duet with fellow Canuck Nate Haller.
Article content
Where/When: Nashville North, Stampede Park, 9 p.m.
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
Article content
What to see: Devin Cuddy at the Ironwood Stage and Grill.
Article content
The Ironwood doesn’t need to alter its programming all that much during the Calgary Stampede since it’s already a hotspot for roots music. But if your tastes lay a little more left-of-the-dial when it comes to country music, second-generation singer-songwriter Devin Cuddy is a safe bet. The son of Blue Rodeo co-leader Jim Cuddy, Devin has inherited his dad’s expressive vocals and songwriting chops and adds his own dash of soul and R&B to the proceedings.
Article content
Where/When: Ironwood Stage and Grill, 8 p.m.
Article content
— Eric Volmers
Article content
Article content
Upcoming Stampede Caravan pancake breakfasts
Article content
Article content
Hold your horses! The first Stampede Caravan pancake breakfast doesn’t take place until tomorrow.
Article content
Friday, July 4
Article content
- New Horizon Mall, 260300 Writing Creek Cres., Balzac: 4 to 6 p.m.
Article content
Saturday, July 5
Article content
- Westside Recreation Centre, 2000 69th St. S.W.: 9 to 11 a.m.
- Cavalry FC Regional Field House, 125 Field House Dr. E., Aldersyde: 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Advertisement 1
Advertisement 2
Advertisement
Article content
Sunday, July 6
Article content
- Seton YMCA, 4995 Market St. S.E.: 9 to 11 a.m.
Article content
Article content
Getting things just right
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
When the Calgary Stampede Rodeo begins Friday, it will welcome twice as many female competitors as it did in previous years.
Article content
Ladies’ breakaway roping has been introduced as a new event for the 2025 rodeo, the only new addition since barrel racing was added in 1979.
Article content
The addition of this event demonstrates the changing demographic of spectators and rodeo athletes, and provides new opportunities for young, female competitors.
Article content
“Rodeo has a tremendous appeal,” said David Poulson, a Calgary Stampede Rodeo announcer of 35 years. “It’s not a sport that only appeals to old ranchers.”
Article content
“The more involvement with women in rodeo, makes it that much more appealing for women spectators.”
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
Article content
— Mackenzie Rhode
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Ahead of Sneak-a-Peek on Thursday and the first official day of The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth on Friday, Calgary Stampede and its safety partners shared how they plan to keep their anticipated 1.3 million visitors safe for the 10 days of festivities.
Article content
Director of public safety and environment for the Calgary Stampede, Kerri Blizard, said that they are excited to welcome everyone to the grounds for 2025, adding that safety remains a top priority for everyone.
Article content
“We have several measures in place to ensure our guests celebrate safely when they step into Stampede Park,” Blizard said. “These measures will be familiar to those who’ve stepped onto Stampede Park before, including walk-through metal detectors, wands, bag searches at the entrance and cameras located throughout Stampede Park.”
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
Article content
— Dan Gonzalez
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Country music superstar Shania Twain returns to Calgary this week as both the Stampede Parade marshal on Friday and headline act at the Saddledome on Saturday night.
Article content
In Andrea Warner’s essay Shania Twain: Bad Feelings, Bare Midriffs and Breaking Ground, the music critic writes about the strong feelings she had about Twain when she was a teenage music buff and budding feminist. Strong and strongly negative.
Article content
Warner updated her book in 2024, but it first came out in 2015. That was 22 years after Twain first “hit the country music industry like a grenade” and became one of the most successful musicians in the cosmos.
Article content
It was more than enough time for Warner to realize she had been wrong about Twain.
Article content
Article content
— Eric Volmers
Article content
Article content
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
According to producer Mark Eriksen, this year’s Grandstand Show could be called the Grand New Opry.
Article content
“It will have all the glamour and high-energy of the Grand Ole Opry, but it will be Calgary style. It will bring elevated country flare to the Stampede’s legendary stage, and it’s packed with awe-inspiring performances and jaw-dropping stunts,” says Eriksen, who has produced the Grandstand Show for the past five years.
Article content
This is one of the reasons Eriksen wanted country star Carolyn Dawn Johnson to headline Grandstand 2025.
Article content
Article content
— Louis B. Hobson
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
From how to get to Stampede Park, when you can save money, highlights from the rodeo infield, where to dance up a storm and how to fill your belly, we have you covered with our ultimate Calgary Stampede visitor’s guide.
Article content
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
— Mackenzie Rhode
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth begins Friday at GMC Stadium, and with it comes the world’s largest outdoor rodeo.
Article content
The Calgary Stampede Rodeo features 210 of the globe’s top cowboys and cowgirls competing for a prize purse of $2.17 million in 2025.
Article content
Get the lowdown in the ins and out of the rodeo.
Article content
Article content
— Todd Saelhof
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
Chuckwagon historian and commentator Billy Melville said although the sport has been around for more than a century, the objective has always remained the same.
Article content
“Even though it’s gone through a number of changes, there are three underlying principles that have guided the chuckwagon races since Day 1,” said Melville, who loves talking about the sport his grandfather, Orville Strandquist, excelled in at as both a driver and an outrider for seven decades up until the 1990s.
Article content
Story continues below
Article content
“A chuckwagon race does three things. Number one is that it tests the skill of the driver; number two is that it tests the skill of the outriders; and number three, it demonstrates the speed of the team. It’s really no more complicated than that.”
Article content
Article content
— Laurence Heinen
Article content
Article content
Article content
Article content
While the Calgary Stampede is not likely to lose its boastful moniker “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” organizers of the 10-day spectacle have been taking great effort in recent years to add to its branding to emphasize there is more than a rodeo happening at Stampede Park.
Article content
It is also being sold as “The Greatest Music Festival in the West,” a testament to the eclectic music programming that takes over four venues on the Stampede grounds.
Article content
More than 100 acts, including many that can be seen with the price of admission, will be playing over 10 days.
Story continues below
Article content
Article content
— Eric Volmers
Article content
Article content
Best places to watch the Calgary Stampede fireworks
Article content
Article content
Where else can you watch fireworks 10 days in a row? Calgary has the special privilege of a spectacular nighttime show starting at around 11 p.m. from July 4 to 13 while the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth takes over the city.
Article content
Want to know where you can best see the fireworks? Here are the four best spots to take in the Stampede fireworks from around the city.
Article content
Stampede Park
Article content
While not free, this option gets you the best possible view. The fireworks shoot off right after the Grandstand show ends and you can get the best close-up view while on the Midway or right outside the rodeo grounds.
Article content
Scotsman’s Hill
Article content
This spot has the best free vantage point. It is right across the river from the Stampede grounds in the community of Ramsey.
Article content
Scotsman’s Hill a very popular spot for fireworks viewing so show up early to find a spot to park and sit. Getting dropped off by a generous family member or a ride-share or taxi is a great option.
Article content
Tom Campbell’s Hill Natural Park
Article content
A little farther north from Scotsman’s Hill is Tom Campbell’s Hill Natural Park. Near the Calgary Zoo, this spot still is close enough to give a great view of the fireworks.
Article content
There is a parking lot on the north side of the park and is an 11-minute walk from the Calgary Zoo CTrain parking lot.
Article content
Max Bell Centre
Article content
The Max Bell Centre, on the edge of Albert Park and Radisson Heights, offers good views of the Stampede fireworks and a large parking lot.
Article content
— Darlene Casten
Article content