The history of Calgary Stampede's famous pancake breakfasts
For almost as long as the Calgary Stampede has existed, the event has become synonymous with the Stampede breakfast.
Every day of the 10-day event will see crews set up at locations across the city, serving thousands of hungry Calgarians fresh pancakes, in a tradition that dates back over 100 years.
From the first documented breakfasts to modern day, here’s how the Stampede breakfast has evolved over the years.
The first breakfasts
While the first Calgary Stampede took place in 1912, the first pancake breakfast was held in 1923, says a report by Know History Historical Services.
It was reported that Jack Morton, a rancher affiliated with the CX Ranch in Rosebud, Alta., came into the city on a chuckwagon, stopping on Eighth Avenue, serving hot cakes to hungry spectators.
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That same year, a separate breakfast was also held on the exhibition grounds, behind the Old Timers’ Hut, a replica pioneer shack.
Reminding Calgarians of their western roots and pioneering spirit, a tradition was born.
After the roaring success of those first breakfasts, chuckwagons from ranches across the province began making their way into the city, becoming an important part of the Stampede festivities by the end of the 1920s.
Those chuckwagons continued serving breakfasts for decades, even during the Second World War, where some of the iron from cookstoves had to be trimmed and melted to support war efforts.
A city-wide affair
By the 1950s, the number of Stampede breakfasts across the city rapidly expanded, with businesses, churches, politicians and charitable organizations serving up their own.
In 1955, the Downtown Attractions Committee hosted its own breakfast of free flapjacks and bacon, which reportedly served around 4,000 people. The following year, that number jumped to 10,000.
While downtown breakfasts remained popular, chuckwagon crews began going to different locations, including hospitals and nursing homes, to spread the Stampede spirit.
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The Stampede Caravan Committee, a group of volunteers, was then set up in 1976 to serve breakfasts in parking lots across the city.
Even when the city faced the economic downturn of the 1980s, many Stampede breakfasts still continued to dish out pancakes to the local community.
The century-long tradition continues
Now, dishing out free grub extends beyond the traditional pancake breakfast with dozens of local organizations hosting their own. While many are still serving the classics, it’s become even more inclusive with gluten-free and vegan-friendly pancake breakfasts.
Many places now put their own spin on the classic Stampede breakfasts to reflect cultures from around the world, with OMO serving up its incredibly popular green tea pancakes. In Chinatown, the Calgary Chinese Cultural Centre gives away free pork buns in lieu of the traditional pancakes.
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The traditional Stampede breakfast remains just as popular as ever. Last year, the annual pancake breakfast held at CF Chinook Centre smashed the Guinness World Record for the most pancakes served in eight hours, dishing out a colossal 26,994 flapjacks in just 4.5 hours.
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