Calgary Stampede
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The Calgary Stampede is a large festival, exhibition, and rodeo held in Calgary, Alberta for ten days every July. It is Canada's largest annual event and it features an internationally recognized rodeo competition, a midway, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon races, First Nations exhibitions, and pancake breakfasts around the city, among other attractions. In 2004, attendance at the 10-day rodeo and exhibition totalled 1,221,182. The Stampede Parade which occurs on opening day, is one of the festival's oldest and largest traditions. It follows a 4.5 km route in downtown Calgary. Attendance at the parade is usually about 350,000. The parade is also televised and has a viewing audience of over 2 million. During Stampede Week, the city's residents dress in western attire, and nearly all businesses decorate their stores and offices western style.
The Calgary Stampede takes place at the Stampede Grounds which are located on the southeast fringe of downtown Calgary in the Beltline District. The park is easily accessed via Calgary Transit's light rail system, the C-Train. Permanent structures at the site include the Pengrowth Saddledome (hockey arena), the Round-Up Centre (a convention and exhibition facility), the Stampede Casino, the grandstand/racetrack, the agriculture building and a number of smaller buildings. A major expansion and upgrading of the grounds is currently in planning stages. It will likely include a new hotel, a new "main street" retail area, a new agriculture building, and extensive re-landscaping of the outdoor areas.
The Calgary Stampede is often called "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth."
History
The Calgary Exhibition was first held in 1886 soon after the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the city. The Calgary Stampede (a separate event) was inaugurated in 1912 by Guy Weadick, an American trick roper. Weadick wanted to put on a world-class rodeo event and Wild West show that would bring the best cowboys from across the continent. The first Stampede was the richest rodeo competition in North America with prize money totalling $20,000. It drew more than 100,000 spectators. In 1923, the Stampede was combined with the Calgary Exhibition and the event has taken place every year since. In 2004, the rodeo prize money was doubled to $1,000,000 to put the Stampede on par with other major rodeos such as the National Finals Rodeo.
Presently, Bryce Nimmo is the chairman of the Stampede Rodeo committee.
See Also
External links
- Calgary Stampede Homepage (http://www.calgarystampede.com/)
- CBC page on the Calgary Stampede (http://www.calgary.cbc.ca/stampede2002/index.html)
- Canadian Heritage Information Network: Calgary Stampede (http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/Festiva1/en/gm/page4.html)de:Calgary Stampede