Stampede beyond the rodeo
By Rodrigo Verney, July 5 2023—
Calgary’s most famous event is coming back to town and alongside the drinking, eating and enjoying the sun for what feels like the first time in forever, comes nine days of original country sports from July 7 to 16. The lineup is filled as always and the modalities are expected to be as exciting as ever. The event promises to be a thrill for the newcomers and a spectacular display of champions for the old-timers. Simply put there isn’t much that saying will do as well as witnessing for yourself at the heart of Calgary. So let’s check out what the city has in store for us this time around.
Stampede opens up with an exciting parade cruising through downtown led by the headlining marshall — a figure that exemplifies what Canada has the best to offer. This year the esteemed title will be honorarily given to Jeremy Hansen, a member of the Canadian Space Agency. Hansen will become the first Canadian to explore the moon on the Artemis II mission issued by NASA in November 2024. This will be the first crewed mission to perform an overflight of over 10 days around the moon. It can lead humankind one step further into colonizing heavenly bodies. From ground to the moon with a stop at the greatest outdoor festival in the world, Calgary is certainly thrilled to have him as their marshall.
The event itself is comprised of many incredible shows all throughout Stampede Park. Don’t want to watch the rodeo? No problem — You can catch one of the daily Dog Bowl performances at three different times: 12:30 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. The most athletic puppies on a dispute to see which one can be the fastest, most acrobatic and most entertaining dog in the stadium. Of course, the answer is all of them!
If you are more of a young soul who wants to have a good time and watch some enjoyable and true-to-the-culture shows, you are in luck. The Stampede has evening shows that are guaranteed to end the day with a banger. One of these events is the relay races, a fun action-packed set of horseback races featuring first nation riders. An alternative is the famous wagon race called the Cowboys’ Rangeland Derby. This is followed by the Bell Grandstand Show, a beautiful night show featuring local artists, spectacles and jaw-dropping pyrotechnics, as they put it.
Celebration of First Nation integration and descendant is also very present in the spectacle. The event that best represents this is the Calgary Stampede Powwow celebration and competition that returns to the Saddledome for two days in this edition. July 12 and 13 will be marked with a beautiful demonstration of First Nation cultures through songs, dances, and drumming. The best will gather and give us a chance to experience many communities and celebrations in a new and exciting way. Admission is free for those who already have one to Stampede Park — simply a sight that must be seen.
All of this is too mild for you? You thought I was done? You just committed two mistakes at the same time — I present to you the Monster Energy Compound. This act combines gravity-defying stunts with the high adrenaline that only motorbikes can bring. This action-packed act will have you looking up most of the time to follow the ascending bikers while they cruise the skies in death-defying stances.
These are the main events that will headline this edition of the Stampede. This is what it’s all about, the entertainment that surrounds the excitement of this incredible show. To prove that there is much more to this than just the Rodeo. It is packed with fun for everyone that visits it. So, remember to get your tickets, put on your boots, and hold your hats. You are ready to experience the greatest outside show in the world.