Pigging out on Calgary Stampede’s 2025 menu 

By Ilana van der Merwe, July 25 2025—

The Calgary Stampede has become known for their peculiar, culinary creations and flavour combos. To test out some of the most bizarre items, an individual with a broad palette and unstifling appetite is required. Providing the Gauntlet with insight on three of the 2025 Stampede’s most notable food items is Calamity — or Callie — an eight year old Juliana pig. 

Stampede 2025 featured any dill lover’s dream: A twisted deep fried pickle on a stick from vendor, Twisted Pickles. To mix things up further, the Stampede offers both Tzatziki and Hot Cheetos flavour varieties. Callie had mixed feelings on the Hot Cheetos pickle. Despite being deep fried, the pickle could not be described as crunchy. Further issue arises at the convenience of this product, as the spiraling on the pickle was not a finely or elegantly cut as depicted in advertisements. Regardless of these small discrepancies, the flavour combo between a pickle and a couple hot cheetos went down well with Callie. This is a great fair food for vegan Stampede goers and was prepared in under two minutes.

Following the pickle appetizer was the infamous Fruit Loops Chicken burger. Found at Steve-O’s Home Fried Chicken, it can be guaranteed for the price of $22.00 where hungry Stampede goers can secure a solid chicken burger. However, this creative twist can be either a hit or miss. Callie was significantly uninterested by the Fruit loops, as they seemingly pasted onto this sandwich with strawberry jelly. After eating around the cereal, Callie was delighted by the quality of the bun and the crunch of the fried chicken patty. It may seem unnatural, but pigs seem to love a good chicken sandwich as much as the next person. 

To finish things off, Callie tried the KitKat fries. By snapping a KitKat bar into its 4 individual segments and deep frying them individually, a delish and pig-friendly dessert is created. Devoured by Callie in under 10 seconds, this sweet treat was the highlight of the meal. The crispy dough heated the KitKat’s milk chocolate coating to a gooey consistency without compromising the crunch of the interior wafer. To elevate the dish further, chocolate syrup and powdered sugar were layered as garnish. For about eight dollars, this is a more affordable way to experience the hype around fair food. 

For more on the Calgary Stampede’s menus, check out their website.