Calgary Stampede Parade Attracts Thousands

Music, laughter and joyous yahoos will echo through downtown Calgary on Friday as hundreds of thousands of people prepare to enjoy the 112th Calgary Stampede parade.

“The tradition and pageantry of the parade that Calgarians have loved for generations will meet some new and revamped entries to produce an unforgettable experience for the young and the young at heart,” said Blair Barkley, chair of the Stampede Parade Committee.

Every year, people looking for the perfect spot to watch the parade begin lining the route around 7:45 a.m. and are able to watch the prelude to the parade which includes 30 acts.

Then the main event starts just before 9 a.m. at Ninth Avenue SE and Third Street SE and will last approximately two hours.

“This year’s Calgary Stampede parade is comprised of more than 100 participants, including 21 floats, 11 marching bands and nearly 40 equine participants, including heavy horse teams and mounted colour groups,” officials said in a news release.

Actor Owen Crow Shoe leads the parade.

In her most recent role, she appears alongside 2022 parade marshal Kevin Costner in Horizon: An American Saga, which hits theaters June 28.

“Owen, of the Piikani Nation and the Blood Tribe of the Blackfoot Confederacy, has only missed one Stampede since he began coming with his family more than 30 years ago,” officials said.

“From spending time at Elbow River Camp singing and drumming to participating in the Warrior Ride during the Stampede Rodeo’s grand entry, Owen and his family have deep roots with the festival.”

The Calgary Stampede Showband is one of the main elements of the parade, established in 1971 and are considered the musical ambassadors.

Amber Marshall, the 2018 parade marshal, and her Heartland co-stars Chris Potter and Shaun Johnston will be the first celebrity trio to judge the parade entries.

For those trying to enter or exit the core, be aware that most roads will be closed at 7:30 a.m. and will not reopen until approximately 2 p.m. and Calgary Police say it is safe to do so.

Instead, the Calgary Stampede suggests using Calgary Transit to get around the area.

The Calgary Police Service (CPS) says it will have a highly visible presence along the parade route and will increase patrols by peace officers and security guards throughout the transit system.

After enjoying the sights and sounds of the parade, admission to the Stampede grounds is free between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

“Security screening will be familiar to anyone who has attended Stampede in the past, with metal detectors and bag checks at the entrances,” said Kerrie Blizard, Stampede’s director of public safety.

“This year, we’ve increased the number of search lanes and entrances so we can conduct more thorough searches while ensuring lines keep moving.”

There will be a CPS district on the ground with a dedicated commander.

“If you are on campus, you can report any suspicious behavior to any Stampede security staff member or police officers on campus (or) you can go to the Stampede office in the Big Four building,” says CPS Staff Sergeant JF Dery.

“You can call our non-emergency line: 403-266-1234, and obviously if it’s something urgent, you can also call 911.”

The service says the airspace over Calgary is restricted during the parade, meaning no drones or remotely piloted aircraft systems will be allowed to fly.

Those restrictions change once Stampede Park opens, but are limited to a one-nautical-mile radius from the center of Stampede grounds between 5 a.m. and 3 a.m. from July 5-15.