What Can You Do at the Calgary Stampede?

The Calgary Stampede is just a few weeks away. This is one of the largest events throughout the year and one everybody should attend. It's known as the greatest outdoor show on earth and includes all types of events. There's something for everybody from music to incredible food. Here's what you can expect at Stampede 2013.

Stampede Events

A tournament-style rodeo is the main event. This is the richest tournament-style rodeo in the world with over $2 million given out to the winners. The rodeo takes place every day at 1:15pm throughout the Stampede. Some of the best rodeo athletes in the world will be in attendance with daily prizes up for grabs, along with the Wildcard Saturday and Showdown Sunday. The experience is amazing for both the contestants and the fans.

Other events include:

• The GMC Rangeland Derby every night at 7:45pm
• The TransAlta Grandstand Show
• Team Penning Competitions
• The Cattle Trail
• Cowboy Up Challenge
• Cutting Horse Competition
• World Stock Dog Championship
• Stampede Parade
• Bell Aqua Ranch with show times at 12pm, 3pm, 6:30pm and 10pm daily
• Out of the Blue nightly at 11pm
• Enmax Corral Show

All of these events will keep you busy throughout the event. Enjoy all types of competitions, plenty of family events, great performances from the Alberta Ballet, Calgary Opera and so much more. There's even plenty of events for kids including:

• Kids' Midway - Full of rides and games
• Coca-Cola Kids' Stage with entertainment, such as Splash 'n Boots
• Meet Your Favourite Character with Dora the Explorer, Wonder Pets and more
• Kids' Pedal Tractor Pull
• Kids' Chuck Challenge

History of the Calgary Stampede

The Town of Calgary was founded in 1884, and two years later the first Calgary Exhibition made its debut. There were only about 1000 residents of the town at the time, and The Exhibition was a chance for others to share agriculture ideas and mingle with the town's residents. Over the next several years, the town and The Exhibition continued to grow.

In 1908, a visitor by the name of Guy Weadick was inspired by the city, but thought its "Old West" origins were ready to be outgrown and tried to stage a Frontier Days contest, but was rebuffed by the town's leadership. That same year, The Exhibition was expanded to include the Dominion Exhibition, a traveling fair highlighting the county's different regions. In 1912, Guy Weadick returned to Calgary and obtained funding from local businessmen and boosters to put on the "greatest thing of its kind in the world," otherwise known as the Stampede.

The first Stampede was hounded by rainy weather and mismanagement, although many exciting events captivated imaginations. A crowd of more than 80,000 people gathered for the parade, including a few notable local celebrities. The show was then taken on the road and did not return to Calgary in 1913, but the onset of World War I brought the need for community and patriotism, and exhibitions such as the Stampede helped bring people together while also gathering support for the war. With a few exceptions over the years, including the recession of the 1920s, the Stampede has been a tradition ever since.

Visit the Calgary Stampede This July

Tickets range in price, depending on the events you want to attend. General admission is $26 for adults and $8 for kids. The event will start on July 5th and run through July 14th with special events each day. For more information visit the website at, http://www.calgarystampede.com.