Over the years I have collected a few old Calgary Stampede images in my photo library as I come across them in my research. Given it will soon be Stampede time in Calgary (July 5 to 14, 2019), I thought I would see just what I had and would it make for a fun blog. I didn’t really have enough so I started hunting around the internet and found some more, then I hit the motherlode - the Calgary Stampede website has dozens of old photos.

I also discovered the Calgary Stampede website is full of great information. Things like “Frequently Asked Questions” the covers almost everything you could think of asking. It also has great information on the Stampede’s Public Art Program - murals and sculptures. And, you can learn about quirky things like the history of stampede breakfasts.

Fun Facts

If you are looking for some interesting internet reading I would highly recommend the Calgary Stampede website. Here are some fun facts:

Stampede Park is a bit bigger than Disneyland.
Each rodeo animal is inspected by a veterinarian daily to ensure their well-being.
Over 100,000 people visit the Stampede’s art show, making it one of the biggest art exhibitions on the prairies.
Over 2,300 volunteers help to make the Calgary Stampede happen each year.
The world’s tallest flagpole (204 feet) is located at the Elbow River Camp, formerly the Indian Village.
It wasn’t until 1968 that the Stampede became a 10 day event.
Did you know there is a App for locating where Stampede breakfasts are located?
The University of Calgary is heavily involved in the Calgary Stampede. Researchers in the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine provide critical advice and innovative solutions to ensure animal care practices are cutting edge. The Galileo Educational Network, within the Werklund School of Education, developed a website to educate people on the long-standing and important history of the Treaty Seven Nations at the Stampede.Historians and experts in the faculty of arts have written the book on the Calgary Stampede and teach a Canadian Studies course on it every year.

Link: The Calgary Stampede and Treaty Seven Nations

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Fun historical postcards from the Calgary Stampede.

FYI: There are two postcards at the end that I expect will surprise many of you!

Note the horse is wearing a hat and smoking a cigar…Indeed the world has changed dramatically over the past 100+ years.

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A Sky scaper foreshadows Calgary become a skyscraper city by the end of the 20th century?

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Stampede Parade along Calgary’s historic Stephen Avenue. The first Stampede Parade was held in 1912 and was attended by 75,000 people and included 1,800 First Nation individuals.

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On the morning of July 9, 1923 (first day of Stampede) Guy Weadick persuaded some of the chuckwagon drivers to go downtown to give a glimpse of their wagons to the public. Jack Morton unloaded his stoves and set up shop cooking pancakes and giving t… — On the morning of July 9, 1923 (first day of Stampede) Guy Weadick persuaded some of the chuckwagon drivers to go downtown to give a glimpse of their wagons to the public. Jack Morton unloaded his stoves and set up shop cooking pancakes and giving them out free to those who had come out to watch. And that’s how the free stampede breakfast history got started.
LInk: Stampede Breakfast History

Yes the Stampede was held in Winnipeg in 1913. Imagine how Calgary and Winnipeg would be different today if Winnipeg was home of the “Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth” not Calgary.

Yes in the 1960s the Calgary Stampede looked at moving from its current downtown location to the outskirts fo the city near the intersection of today’s Glenmore and Crowchild Trails. Imagine how the would have change Calgary’s inner-city development.

Last Word

Today the Calgary Stampede has evolved into one of the world’s most unique festivals. In fact, it combines seven different festivals offering something for almost everyone:

Agricultural Fair
Rodeo
Chuckwagon Races
Grandstand Show
Midway
Music Festival
Visual Art Festival

When I first moved to Calgary I have to admit I wasn’t a big fan of the Stampede, but over the past 35+ years I have developed an appreciation for how it has shaped the city and given it a unique sense of place. While not everyone appreciates what the Calgary Stampede does for the City locally, nationally and internationally, in my opinion, every city needs a mega festival like the Caglary Stampede that annually celebrates its unique history and sense of place.

A mega makeover is planned for the Stampede Park over the next decade that will hopefully allow it to continue be evolve and be something Calgarians can continue to be proud of.

Link: Calgary Stampede Digital Collection