It’s time for the Calgary Stampede!

Billing itself as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” this year’s Stampede is taking over Calgary until July 12th.

If you’re a newcomer settling into Calgary, don’t plan on getting much done over the next 10 Tag. Nearly all of Calgary will be out at the city’s biggest party!

So what’s the Stampede all about?

Even as Calgary has become increasingly urban, the biggest event of the year still has its roots in cowboy culture. The Stampede is a Rodeo, Jahrmarkt, und verrückte Party rollte in ein.

What few people know, aber, ist, dass the Stampede has a U.S. connection. Here’s an excerpt from my book, Wohnen im Ausland in Kanada, das erklärt:

Die Stampede, die begann in 1912, war die Vision von einem amerikanischen expat. Geboren in Rochester, New York, Guy Weadick became a vaudeville and rodeo performer who appeared across North America.

In Calgary, traf er H. C. McMullen, a livestock agent for the Canadian Pacific Railway, and they hatched a plan for a “wild west” show. They secured funding from several local businessmen, und die Stampede ins Leben gerufen wurde.

The Stampede opens with a huge parade through downtown. Other attractions include chuck wagon races, calf roping, bull riding, Pferd zeigt, a carnival midway, and concerts by big-name entertainers. This year’s headliners umfassen Reba McEntire, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, und George Strait.

The Stampede typically draws more than 100,000 people per day, so pull on your boots and come on down!

Photo by sundeepg (Flickr)