Calgary Stampede plans underway, but it won't be your typical event

Good news for anyone who was heartbroken by the cancellation of last year’s Calgary Stampede – plans for the 2021 event are in the works, and the Stampede is scheduled to run this year from July 9 to 18.

“We are confident that the actions our community is taking now will allow for safe Stampede experiences in July,” Kristina Barnes, Communications Manager, Western Events & Agriculture at the Calgary Stampede, told Daily Hive.

The Calgary Stampede is working directly with Alberta Health Services to ensure that this year’s experiences are within any public health guidelines that may be in effect in July. “The safety of our community comes first,” said Barnes. “This will not be your typical Stampede.”

“Our promise is to follow the guidelines and to create the safest and best possible experience for our community.”

What does the Calgary Stampede have in store for 2021? We can expect fewer people and more space, plus familiar experiences that will look different from what we’re used to.

“Our plans will continue to flex and adapt based on the guidance of Alberta Health and the evolving situation, and we will look to share more over the coming weeks,” says Barnes.

Barnes says that the Stampede encourages “everyone in our community to take the opportunity to get vaccinated, regardless of whether they plan to attend Stampede this year or not.” She added that they applaud those who have already taken the opportunity.

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The Stampede is a multi-faceted 10-day event, offering a wide variety of fun options beyond the rodeo events. Food, the midway, shopping and retail, agricultural displays, and concerts and other performances are just a few of the things that have kept visitors coming back year after year.

In 2020, the Calgary Stampede still hosted several of its famous fireworks shows, viewed at a distance from around the city, in addition to drive-thru food trucks offering mini donuts and other midway favourites.

The tradition of Stampede Week pancake breakfasts was kept alive by drive-thru last year too, providing guests with a neatly packed box containing everything they needed for their meal.

While the exact details of the 2021 event are under wraps (for now), we know that anything the Stampede plans is bound to be epic. And, not that we’re counting, but the 2021 Calgary Stampede is less than two months away, so dust off your cowboy boots and get ready for a comeback by the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.