It’s week two of Stampede — are you managing to hang in there?

Despite all of the cowboy shenanigans that have hit the city in full storm, there are actually quite a lot of things going on that are non-stampede related as well! Grab your bike for a large cycling festival, shop the many summer markets, or head up to the mountains for some fun in the great outdoors!

See also

• Alberta hikers capture close encounter with grizzly on camera (VIDEO)
• 29-year-old truck driver arrested and charged in Humboldt Broncos bus crash
• Ultra cheap El Furniture Warehouse restaurant opens in Calgary today

For those who aren’t Stampeded-out there are a variety of concerts to see, food items to try, and exciting live shows to catch. The grounds will be buzzing all week long so be sure to hit them up at least once!

We have put together 34 of the most exciting events happening in Calgary this week. If you’re looking for a well filled strictly with stampede festivities check out our ultimate Stampede schedule here!

Monday, July 9

The 36th Annual Cowboys VS. Firefighters Charity Pole Climb

What: Ladies, we know you’ll enjoy this one! This annual event features 10 Pro Rodeo Contestants that go up against 10 Calgary Firefighters in a timed flagpole climb. All the proceeds from the event will go directly towards The CPRA Cowboy Benefit fund and the Firefighter Charitable Society.

When: Monday, July 9

Time: 6 pm

Where: Ranchman’s Cookhouse and Dancehall – 9615 Macleod Tail SE

Tickets: Complimentary with admission

Emerson Drive

What: With well-known hits such as, “The Extra Mile,” “If You Were My Girl,” “That Kind of Beautiful,” and, their most recent, “Just Got Paid,” you’ll be stomping your feet and singing along till the wee hours of the morning with Emerson Drive.

When: Monday, July 9

Time: 5 pm

Where: Wildhorse Saloon – 500 6th Avenue SW

Tickets: Online, $20

Bitcoin Rodeo

What: What is bitcoin? Learn all about it, along with blockchain and cryptocurrency, at this bitcoin and blockchain conference.

When: July 9 and 10

Time: 9 am

Where: The Palace Theatre – 219 8th Avenue SW

Admission: Online, $100 to $225

Tuesday, July 10

Brett Kissel

What: This Albertan Heart Throb is back again! He will surely have your heart after hearing his romantic country beats and a night full of dancing.

When: Tuesday, July 10

Time: 7 pm

Where: Knoxville’s Tavern – 840 9th Avenue SW

Tickets: Online, $25

Bootleggin’ Breakfast 

What: The largest indoor corporate party during Stampede! This legendary breakfast is held at the Westin and features a unique VIP performance by a Canadian Country Music start — last year was Gord Bamford and Adam Gregory. Who will it be this year? This one-day ticket includes a VIP Stampede breakfast, six VIP drinks, special performances from award-winning musicians, and VIP entrance to the afterparty at the Cowboys Tent. This year all the proceeds will go to support Zero Kids, a not-for-profit working to feed hungry kids and provide them with a healthy meal or snack to get them through the school day.

When: July 10 and 12

Time: 8 am

Where: The Westin – 320 4th Avenue SW

Tickets: Online, $145 to $2,000

The Market on Stephen Avenue 

What: Shop up to 60 vendors offering fresh food, spices, sauces, treats, art, fashion, and more. Enjoy shopping the walk!

When: Tuesday, July 10

Time: 10 am to 4 pm

Where: Stephen Avenue – 1st Street SE to 2nd Street SW

Admission: FREE

Macaron 101 

What: Ever wondered how to make a French macaron? Look no further. Everyone’s favourite macaron shop, Ollia, hosts Macaron Baking Classes, offering exclusive lessons on how to properly engage in some macaronage, get the perfect shell, and create a variety of flavours. Bon appetite!

When: Tuesday, July 10

Time: 6 pm

Where: Ollia Macaron and Tea – 810c 16th Avenue SW

Tickets: Call to reserve your spot, $100

Wednesday, July 11

Southcentre PINK Stampede Breakfast

What: Come out to support the Canadian Cancer Society for Breast Cancer Awareness, dressed in your best pink Stampede ensemble and enjoy a complimentary pancake breakfast to boot! There will be live music and exciting festivities happening for the whole family.

When: Wednesday, July 11

Time: 9 am to 11 am

Where: Southcentre Mall’s south parking lot – 200 Anderson Road SE

Admission: FREE

2018 Buckin’ Breakfast

What: Enjoy an amazing all-you-can-eat buffet as you tap your toes to amazing live entertainment and even hit the dance floor for some early morning moves as you help raise money for Big Brothers and Big Sisters. Afterward, board a bus and head to Wildhorse Saloon to continue the party!

When: July 11 and 13

Time: 8 am to 1 pm

Where: The Palace Theatre – 219 8th Avenue SW

Tickets: Online, $125 to $6,000

Freelance Stampede Party

What: Calling all self-employed workers, freelancers, and small business owners! The Stampede Office Party is one of the most looked forward to events in any office or corporate atmosphere — but what if you don’t have an office? We got you! Join Calgary bloggers Kait Kucy and Mike Morrison for the first ever Freelance Stampede Party. Hob-knob with Calgary’s movers and shakers as you celebrate Stampede in the most traditional way possible!

When: Wednesday, July 11

Time: 12 pm to 2 am

Where: Cowboys Music Festival Tent – 421 12th Avenue SE

Tickets: Online, $50

Roundup Music Fest

What: Come see The Wallflowers, Train, The Grapes of Wrath, and The Goo Goo Dolls. Now that’s a stacked line-up if we have ever seen one!

When: Wednesday, July 11

Time: 3 pm

Where: Shaw Millennium Park – 1220 9th Avenue SW

Tickets: Online, $103

Thursday, July 12

Adults Only Night: Through the Haze (Myths and Science behind Cannabis)

What: Cannabis is a smoking topic right know! Come out to learn all about THC, how it’s used medicinally, the social implications around the new legal changes, and why the heck cannabis gives you the munchies!

When: Thursday, June 14

Time: 6 to 10 pm

Where: Telus Spark – 220 St. George’s Drive NE

Tickets: Online, $26

Kip Moore

What: This country heartthrob just dropped his latest album! Hear it for the first time live at the Cowboys Tent!

When: Thursday, July 12

Time: 7 pm to 2 am

Where: Cowboys Music Festival Tent –421 12th Avenue SE

Tickets: Online, $60

The Dead South 

What: Originally from Regina, this folk-bluegrass band always steals the show when they hit the stage!

When: Thursday, July 12

Time: 7 pm

Where: Knoxville’s Tavern – 840 9th Avenue SW

Tickets: Online, $25

Friday, July 13

Brad Paisley

What: He’s a country classic and he’s been visiting Calgary since the very start of his career! Spend an evening with the one-and-only Brad Paisley and get a true taste of country both new and old. Plus, he’s an unreal guitar player — you’re in for a treat!

When: Friday, July 13

Time: 7:30 pm

Where: Scotiabank Saddledome – 555 Saddledome Rise SE

Tickets: Online, $74 to $252

The Oxford Stomp 

What: Come celebrate 30 years of the Oxford Stomp! See the Skydiggers, Barney Bentall, John Fogerty, and Melissa Etheridge.

When: Friday, July 13

Time: 3 pm

Where: Shaw Millennium Park – 1220 9th Avenue SW

Tickets: Online, $99

Inglewood Night Market 

What: Calgary’s favourite night market is back! Check out the second market of the summer on July 13 and enjoy live entertainment on both the Main Stage and the Variety Show Stage, and delicious food truck eats, all while shopping some of Calgary’s best local makers and artists. New to the market this year is a licensed area in collaboration with Village Brewery. Be sure to grab a brew and enjoy the line-up of incredible local talent!

When: Friday, July 13

Time: 5 pm

Where: Between 9th Avenue and 10th Street SE

Admission: FREE

Summer Market Presented by Southcentre and Curated 

What: Southcentre Mall and Curated market have partnered up together to bring four uniquely curated artisan markets to YYC this summer. You can look forward to shopping from many talented makers and artists, treating yourself to delicious foods from YYC Food Trucks, and enjoying live entertainment, all in the south parking lot of Southcentre Mall!

When: July 13, 14, 27, and 28

Time: 5 to 10 pm

Where: Southcentre Mall – 100 Anderson Road SE

Admission: FREE

Cyclepalooza 2018

What: 10 days of biking fun — are you ready? From bike tours (which may include ice cream) to camping trips, you’ll enjoy this bike festival this summer, so get ready to use those two wheels like you’ve never used them before.

When: July 13 to 22

Time: Varies per event

Where: Varies per event

Admission: Varies per event

Calaway Comicfest for Kids

What: Calling all mighty superheroes! Come dressed in your superhero costume, which includes superheroines, princesses, princes, and of course sidekicks. Shop the artist market for locally made goods, stop by the Photo Op Zone to be transported to a world far far away, or try your hand at the Superhero in Training course!

When: July 13 to 15

Time: 10 am to 7 pm

Where: Calaway Park – 245033 Range Road 33

Admission: Regular admission to the park

Alberta Brewery Concerts Presents: Origami Army at Common Crown

What: Local craft beer and live entertainment — is there any better combination?

When: Friday, July 13

Time: 7 to 9 pm

Where: 943 28th Street NE

Admission: Free, RSVP your spot here

Saturday, July 14

Luke Bryan 

What: Come shake-it with the man that shakes it the best!

When: Saturday, July 14

Time: 7:30 pm

Where: Scotiabank Saddledome – 555 Saddledome Rise SE

Tickets: Online, $115 to $352

Stampede on 17th 

What: Take a break from the grounds and head over to 17th for some #YYC country fun! Enjoy a stampede breakfast for the first 500 people, live entertainment, games, dancing, a mechanical bull, and so much more!

When: Saturday, July 14

Time: 10 am to 4 pm

Where: Tomkins Park

Admission: FREE

Chimney Dog Eating Contest

What: Join in on the first ever Chimney Dog Eating Contest and you could win $100, plus free chimney dogs for a year from UTCA Chimney Cakes.

When: Wednesday, July 14

Time: 6 pm

Where: Utca Chimney Cakes – Coffee House – 207 13th Avenue SE

Tickets: Online, $10 registration

10th Annual Chili Cook-Off 

What: It’s time to put your taste buds to the test and determine who rightfully deserves to win the 2018 Chili Championship. Come down to the Calgary Farmers’ Market, make a donation in support of the Calgary Interfaith Food Bank’s, support the Boots to Hunger Campaign, and try out the six competing chilis prepared by local vendors and restaurants!

When: July 13 to 14

Time: 11 am to 3 pm

Where: The Calgary Farmers’ Market – 510 77th Avenue SE

Admission: Free with donation

Sunday, July 15

Billy Talent

What: Calling all 90s kids — get ready as your favourite Canadian Rock Band closes out the Stampede with a bang!

When: Sunday, July 15

Time: 7 to 11 pm

Where: Coca-Cola Stage – 1410 Olympic Way SE

Tickets: FREE

MARSHMELLO

What: The famous white marshmallow, aka Christopher Comstock, is hitting the Cowboys Music Festival for a night electronic, house, trap. The dance floor will surely be lit!

When: Sunday, July 15

Time: 6 pm to 2 am

Where: Cowboys Music Festival –421 12th Avenue SE

Tickets: Online, $65 to $79

Sunday Brunch

What: Enjoy your benny surrounded by history at the Officers Mess at Fort Calgary, just as they did back in the day. Brunch includes complimentary access to the museum, so you can make a whole day of it!

When: Every Sunday

Time:  10 am to 1 pm

Where: Fort Calgary – 750 9th Avenue SW

Tickets: Phone 403-290-1875 for reservations, $30 per person

Any other day of the week

Hit up the Calgary Stampede 

What: It’s the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth — need we say more?

When: July 6 to 15

Where: Stampede Park – 1410 Olympic Way SW

Admission: Online, $9 to $18

Grab a “Bats in the Belfry” from The Nash 

What: For the length of Stampede The Nash will be featuring this very special cocktail called the “Bats in the Belfry.” It features chocolate marshmallows, banana beignets, and cold brew — is this a dessert or a drink? This is the perfect energizer to get you pumped up and ready to hit the grounds!

When: July 6 to 15

Where: The Nash – 926 11th Street SE

Take the Leap at WinSport

What: WinSport’s latest adrenaline-filled adventure is now open – Free Fall. Climb up an eight-story platform, secure yourself in a bungee harness, and jump off the platform feeling a sensation similar to that of leaping out of an airplane. Any adrenaline junkies out there?

Where: 88 Canada Olympic Road SW

Admission: One jump: $25, two jumps: $35

Rent a bike and go on a river adventure

What: Grab your squad, get yourself some wheels, and put those bike paths to good use — all while seeing the city from a different perspective.

Where: Rent bikes at these locations: Rath Bicycle and Bike and Brew

Take a ride in Handsome Andy with Moose Trail Overland

What: Join local experts and firefighters Mike and Ryan as they show you all their favourite spots in the area and take you on a thrilling adventure in Handsome Andy, a 4×4 Ford E350. Don’t expect your typical cookie cutter tour, as these two are keen to take you off the beaten path and bring your dream of adventure to life.

Price: Varies per tour, book online

Take a float down the Bow River

What: This is a tradition most of us Calgarians look forward to doing at least once during the summer. Plus, it’s the ultimate refresher in the midst of a Prairie heat wave!

Tips: Make sure that you have enough life jackets for your entire group, book your raft ahead of time, park a vehicle at the beginning and the end of your route, and check weather advisories before heading out.

Where: Lazy Day Raft Rentals, Sports Rent, The Paddle Station and the Outdoor Centre at the University of Calgary

Shop Local at Southcentre Mall 

What: From the creators that organize the Curated market, there is now a Curated Shop. Shop over 50 of your favourite local artists, makers and handmade businesses, such as Salt Water Tea, RC + Smith, Jennifer Joan Skincare, Bark YYC, Simply Love, and more.

Where: Southcentre Mall – 100 Anderson Road SE

See also

• Alberta hikers capture close encounter with grizzly on camera (VIDEO)
• 29-year-old truck driver arrested and charged in Humboldt Broncos bus crash
• Ultra cheap El Furniture Warehouse restaurant opens in Calgary today