Hailed as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” The Calgary Stampede takes over the city of Calgary for 10 days during July. This massive outdoor festival hosts an annual rodeo, has midway rides and a parade, and some of the most unusual foods to try – from deep-fried strawberries to pickle lemonade. Plus, there’s a whole lot more in terms of events, activities, and things to see and do.
How the Calgary Stampede Started
Today, more than 1 million visitors flood the city to experience one of the world’s largest rodeos. But how did it all begin?
While the first exhibition started in 1886, a former Wyoming cowboy named Guy Weadick initiated the now world-famous rodeo in 1912. Today, the Western spirit seen throughout the Stampede embodies dedication to family, pride in one’s roots, and strength of character throughout hard times.
What if I’m not Visiting Calgary During the Stampede?
If you’re not visiting the city during the festival’s ten days but want to get a taste of what Stampede is like, there’s so much to see and do. The good news is you can experience Western hospitality and spirit any time of the year in Calgary!
How to Experience the Calgary Stampede Year Round – Yes, Even When it’s not Stampede!
Here are five ways to experience the Calgary Stampede and Western hospitality year-round.
1. Visit the Sam Centre
A must-visit location is the Sam Centre, set along the Elbow River east of downtown Calgary. It’s a gathering place and history museum sharing more than 100 years of Stampede culture, artifacts, experiences, and memories. The centre embodies what Stampede means to the city and its citizens. It’s very hands-on and great for kinesthetic learners and families.
The centre is named after Robert Samuel Taylor, the late father of Calgary businessman and philanthropist Don Taylor. The building itself is designed after the historic ranch houses seen throughout the southern reaches of Alberta with a sustainable focus.
What all to see at the Sam Centre:
- Check out the 270-degree, 15-minute multimedia show “Stampede Sensations” that shares about the people and events that make Stampede so amazing
- The Scown Gallery is a permanent self-guided exhibition that lets you try your hand at roping. Or you can sit down and create a digital character to walk in the parade. Don’t forget to snap a selfie and create your very own Stampede poster, sent straight to your phone.
- Wander through the Ross Glen Gallery to learn more about Stampede champions and look at the bronze trophies on display
- Take in all the Stampede Queen and Princess cowboy boots on display near Maisie Eatery.
Where to Eat: Maisie Eatery is located in the Sam Centre. It’s the ideal spot to grab a bite before or after your visit. The menu changes daily and offers a wide selection of lighter bites as well as numerous desserts and pastries. They also have options for vegan and gluten and dairy-free diners. As a unique nod to Stampede, the dining tables at Maisie Eatery are shadow boxes holding artifacts and trinkets like pins, ribbons, and photographs from past Stampedes.
READ MORE: Looking for Family Fun in Calgary? Read up on all you need to know when visiting TELUS Spark and Heritage Park Historical Village
2. Buy a Cowboy Hat
No trip to experience Stampede in Calgary is complete without stopping in to shop for your very own cowboy hat. Smithbilt Hats has been around since 1910, originally crafting dress hats in the early days. But, as the Stampede gained momentum, Smithbilt shifted to Western wear for visitors and spectators. This is also where the first white cowboy hat was made.
But let me warn you, when you walk in, you’ll feel overwhelmed by all the options. Not only do they have dozens of colours and shades of cowboy hats to choose from, but you can also choose the fit and style of your cowboy hat. Their team steams and shapes it right in front of you. The store also sells a variety of Western clothing including boots and jackets.
Have you Heard of the White Hat Ceremony?
The iconic white cowboy hat is known worldwide. The White Hat Ceremony began when Calgary representatives wore white hats at the 1948 Grey Cup in Toronto to cheer on the Calgary Stampeders.
Since 1950, Calgarians have presented dignitaries, guests, and special visitors with their very own keepsake white hat during the White Hat Ceremony. The hat is a symbol of hospitality. The ceremony is a warm welcome that represents friendship all while making the guests an honourary member of the community.
The ceremony includes donning the hat and repeating an oath.
READ MORE: No visit to Calgary is complete without a day trip or an overnight out to Banff National Park. Here are 15 Iconic Activities to experience in the winter months.
3. Feast on Steak at Caesar’s Steakhouse
Don’t let the Greek décor fool you, Caesar’s Steakhouse is one of the top destinations in the city to dive into a mouth-watering hunk of premium Alberta beef that’s aged a minimum of 28 days. Each steak is charbroiled on an open-flame grill in the middle of the dining room and seasoned with their house-made spice.
The service was exceptional and such a highlight. We opted for the tableside Caesar salad and watched our server combine all the fresh ingredients right in front of us while sharing several entertaining stories.
While you can’t go wrong with a filet mignon, rib eye, or New York strip, for something unique try the Steak Nepture that comes with jumbo black tiger shrimp. You can also opt for a side of cottage cheese instead of a twice-baked stuffed potato.
READ MORE: Visiting Calgary in Winter? Here are the top 7 things to do during the winter months.
4. Learn to Line Dance at Ranchman’s
If you’re looking to get out for a night on the town, there is no other place in the city like Ranchman’s Cookhouse and Dancehall. While it’s a major hotspot during Stampede, it’s very popular year-round.
The dance hall and bar often have live music on weekends. Several times a week they offer country swing, two-step, and line dancing lessons for free. Don’t worry if you’ve never tried any of these dances before, it’s a space open and welcoming to beginners and dancers of all skill levels.
What is line dancing?
Line dancing is a form of group dancing where everyone faces the same direction while doing a sequence of learned steps at the same time.
At Ranchman’s, there’s a large dancefloor in the back with a teacher up on the stage explaining and demonstrating each step. You have a chance to practice it before putting it all together.
Having grown up in rural Saskatchewan, I’m no stranger to tearing up the dancefloor. But even I have to admit some of the line dancing moves got pretty complex. It was fun to try and even more fun to watch the regulars who know all the steps perform on the smaller dancefloor.
5. Ride a Mechanical Bull
For the full country-western experience, head to Ranchman’s Cookhouse and Dancehall to try riding a mechanical bull. (Thursday through Saturday.) In the far corner past the main bar, there’s a rodeo ring set up with a mechanical bull. Plus a few display TV’s to share your ride with the watching crowd. For $5, you get three tries on the bull.
Riding a mechanical bull is *a lot* harder than it looks. Even though I knew the bull wasn’t moving too fast, I found it hard to stay on and anticipate the next angle and movement. The trick is all in the timing. Keep your body loose and ready to accommodate a change in movements. But make sure to use your core stability and thigh strength to stay on the bull. Good luck!
READ MORE: Waterton Lakes National Park is less than 3 hours south of Calgary and a great add-on to a stop in the city. Here are all the details if you’re a first-timer visiting the park.
Other Top Highlights To Check Out in Calgary
While this particular article shares about the best Stampede-related activities to experience in Calgary any time of year, there are so many wonderful places to eat and experiences to have.
Here are a few more suggestions of what to see and do during your visit to Calgary:
- Sunset cocktails at Major Tom Bar – The restaurant is 40 floors up and has spectacular 180-degree views of the cityscape, including the Calgary Tower. This is such a great spot for a date night!
- Visit Contemporary Calgary – Contemporary and modern art is unique, quirky, and sometimes downright weird. Often there are opportunities to interact with the art and it’s always an awesome place for “Instagrammable” photos. Plus, admission is only $12.
- Visit the Calgary Tower – while it’s no longer the tallest structure in the city, a ride up the Calgary Tower is less than $20 and offers great views of the city and mountains. The glass floor is fun to step out on and look down to see how high up you are.
- Stop in at the Confluence Historic Site and Parkland – formerly known as Fort Calgary, the Confluence shares the stories of the Indigenous groups living on the land and the arrival of colonizers and North-West Mounted Police.
- Take a guided Indigenous Art Walk – Meeting Mackenzie and going on the Zuc’min Indigenous Art Walk downtown was a highlight. While the murals were amazing (she’s painted several) her singing and drum playing and general joie-de-vivre for life made this tour incredible.
- Feast at Little Chief Restaurant at Grey Eagle Resort & Casino – the thought and attention Chef Dash has put into this Indigenous-inspired menu at Little Chief is incredible and worth a night out for a meal.
- Order a Caesar at the Beltliner – Did you know the classic Canadian caesar drink was invented in Calgary? We stopped at the Beltliner to try the most elaborate one I’ve ever seen. There was even a cupcake on it!
Where to Stay in Calgary
The Alt Hotel
The Alt Hotel is always a top personal choice. Not only are they dog friendly, but they’re known across Canada as being an affordable boutique-style hotel. Located in the East Village in downtown Calgary, the Alt is a bright and modern accommodation with floor-to-ceiling windows for the perfect view of the city.
Book in here.
Tip: North-facing rooms have a stunning view over the Bow River which is especially gorgeous when lit up by sunset.
Fairmont Palliser
Book in at the historic landmark luxury hotel Fairmont Palliser to take advantage of all the sites and activities within walking distance in downtown Calgary. Built in 1914, the hotel was originally one of the Canadian Pacific Railway resort hotels.
The main entrance of the hotel is only steps away from the bars and restaurants on Stephen Avenue Walk. Facilities include a full-service spa, indoor pool, steam room and gym. Guest rooms and suites have been recently renovated and updated while retaining their distinctive elegant styling.
Book in here.
Tip: East-facing rooms not only get a gorgeous view of sunrise over downtown Calgary but have an impressive front-and-centre view of the 158-metre-tall Calgary Tower.
I was a guest of Tourism Calgary as part of a media trip. But as always, all thoughts and experiences shared in this article about how to experience the Calgary Stampeded year-round are my own.
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