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By: Ronnie Hawkings

Over a period of 10 days, Calgarians open their arms to the world, and stage a world-class exhibition and spectacle that includes everything from chuckwagon races to rodeo events to pancake breakfasts. This year, the Calgary Stampede takes place from July 4th to July 13th, 2008, with events at the Stampede Casino (like the Calgary Stampede Poker Tournament), at the Calgary Stampede Park, and promises to be quite the party! There's so much to do - the Calgary Stampede Rangeland Derby is my style, but I have a feeling my trouble-making brother will really enjoy the Calgary Stampede Pub Crawl, and we'll both love the famous Calgary Stampede Pancake Breakfast.

Calgary Stampede History
The Calgary Stampede was started in 1912 by Guy Weadick, a Wild West performer known for his work on the vaudeville circuit. The event was held from September 7th to the 2nd, just following the harvest, in order that ranchers and farmers would be able to attend. Weadick himself ran the Stampede until 1932, overseeing its merging with the Calgary Exhibition in 1923 (a separate spectacle that was started in 1886 to mark the arrival of the Canadian Pacific Railway in Canada.), and the North American release of a silent romance n’ murder film called “The Calgary Stampede” which helped popularize the event.

Since that time, the Calgary Stampede has grown, and now, in 2008, up to $1.82 million in prize money is at stake, and over a million people are expected to attend. Past honourable guests have included the Prince of Wales, various foreign dignitaries and heads of state, 6,000 Ismaili Muslims who followed His Highness Prince Karim Agakhan, Chinese Freemasons, Ozie George’s Trinidad & Tobago Organettes, all Canadian Prime Ministers.

Calgary
The Stampede takes place in Calgary, Alberta; the largest city in the province, and the third largest in Canada, located just east of the Rockies, and the site of the 1988 Olympic Winter Games.

Calgary Stampede Events
The Calgary Stampede has grown from a simple rodeo and show to incorporate many varied and different activities on their program, including (but not limited to) the international rodeo competition, stage shows, a midway carnival, agricultural events, exhibitions by First Nations peoples, chuckwagon races, pancake breakfasts, Calgary Stampede Wrestling, and live concerts by notable musicians such as country musician Brenda Lee. To say little of what should prove most exciting this year, a Canadian Idol-style Calgary Stampede Talent Search!

There’s also a parade, the pace of which has been set by a car that has historically traveled at 210 feet per minute. Over 6,000 people participate in the creation of the parade, and hundreds of thousands of spectators watch along the 4.5 kilometre route. Harry the Horse, the official mascot for the Calgary Exhibition & Stampede is a popular sight, along with the famous rodeo clowns, the RCMP Guard of Honour, and many marching bands.

Calgary Stampede 2008
This year, the Calgary Stampede looks to be the biggest and best yet, with the world-famous and newly re-vamped Stampede Casino, and a list of international performers at the Pengrowth Saddledome that include The Judds, Sugarland (on their “Summer of Love” tour), Kid Rock, Iron Maiden (of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal), and former heroin addict James Taylor.


Calgary Stampede Hotels
If you’re looking for Calgary hotels to stay at during your visit to the Calgary Stampede this year, there are a number of options available – hotels located in downtown Calgary, bed & breakfasts in the country, boutique hotels (like the historical Fairmount Palliser, built in the Edwardian Commercial style and which was opened in 1914), and discount rooms from major hotel chain.

For more information on the history of the Calgary Stampede, you can visit the Calgary Stampede Archives, which collects photographs, catalogues and various ephemera on-line from the event’s rich and storied past.

You should also check out the Calgary Stampede Website for up to the date information, where to buy Calgary Stampede tickets, and any changes in programming!