During those years I was lucky enough to enjoy the greatest outdoor show on earth, the Calgary Stampede.

Most years I would hit the midway, some years I’d visit the free Stampede breakfasts about town, and some years I would hit up the shows and exhibitions.

I’ve been traveling in, living in or storing my things in British Columbia for years now, and honestly, sometimes I still miss the Stampede spirit. So, when I got an email from GMC inviting me to join their team and some other media folks to Stampede like a pro, I replied yes faster than a Tasmanian devil in a windstorm.

21 Incredible Things To Do at the Calgary Stampede Before You Die

While this obviously wasn’t my first rodeo, the folks at GMC Canada have been a partner of the Stampede for over three decades and they were able to show even me a few new Calgary Stampede tips. We took in chuckwagon races, the rodeo, enjoyed front row seats to concerts, went horseback riding at the Calgary Stampede Ranch, and they even got us kitted up in authentic Stampede gear.

So without further ado, here are my top 21 bucket list things to do at the Calgary Stampede.

Take in the Rangeland Derby

My uncle raced pony chuckwagons for years, so I grew up watching horses roar around the dusty tracks of southern Alberta. At the Calgary Stampede, Rangeland Derby chuckwagon races are almost a sacred experience.

Each team consists of one rider in a semi-enclosed wagon, and four horses tearing around a well maintained dirt track. Make no mistake, these horses are athletes, and serious money and time are spent on their upkeep and welfare. If you want to see the Stampede crowd roar to life, this is the event that will make it happen.

Enjoy the GMC VR chuckwagon experience

The closest a mere mortal like me can get to racing the quick and deadly chuckwagons is via the GMC Rangeland Derby Virtual Reality chuckwagon experience. Make sure you stop by the GMC display on Stampede grounds, strap on a headset, a prepare to get immersed in a pretty accurate virtual reality simulation. You’ll find yourself racing around the (virtual) chuckwagon track at the Stampede like a pro, too!

Watch the rodeo

If you haven’t seen a live rodeo before, or even if you have, you’ll be wowed by the athleticism of the cowboys and cowgirls at the Stampede.

The 2017 Stampede saw the introduction of the Indian Relay Race as a demonstration sport, featuring teams of Indigenous racers. Riders go bareback around the chuckwagon track, and switch horses at a breakneck speed. I spent years watching rodeos as a kid, and grew up on a farm in South-Central Alberta, and I can say that I’ve honestly never seen horse riders that could equal the agility of these racers.

Take a road trip to cattle country

As a born and bred Albertan, I know first hand that the bigger the truck, the better the drive around Calgary. The Stampede is the perfect occasion for GMC to show off its brand new fleet of trucks, and we were told to pick a truck and venture out of the city and into cattle country to tear up the roads like a pro.

These GMC trucks are truly gorgeous vehicles, and equipped with plenty of features, including OnStar and a fast, reliable built-in Wi-Fi hotspot.

I was quick to hop into the Acadia, which is GMC’s mid-size SUV. As a mom with two kids and lot of cargo, I really appreciated the seven passenger capability and silky-smooth, quiet ride. As someone who likes to have fun, I loved that it had plenty of power under the hood, and rugged 4×4 capability.

Want to find out more about these great GMC trucks? Visit the GMC Canada website here.

Visit the Calgary Stampede OH Ranch

The 8,000 acre Stampede-owned OH Ranch is a sprawling 130-year-old working ranch in the heart of Alberta’s foothills in Longview, Alberta.

I was lucky enough to get a chance to drive around the ranch’s back trails in a brand new GMC truck, taking in gorgeous views of the Rocky Mountains.

Ride a horse!

Arguably, no fully immersive Stampede experience is complete until you’ve had a chance to pull on your cowboy boots and climb atop a horse.

Now, I grew up riding bareback on my favorite long past retirement thoroughbred horse, but that was a long time ago. A very long time ago. I expected to be a bit rusty, but between the 20 years that have passed since I last rode, and my somewhat feisty steed, I felt pretty darn awkward in the saddle. I also forgot how high those animals are from the ground. That, said, I would do my two hour trail ride again in a heartbeat.

Wear a cowboy hat

If you haven’t been in Calgary during the Stampede, you’ll probably be surprised that almost everyone downtown dresses up like a cowboy for the event. For men, that means a Stampede uniform of cowboy boots, Wrangler jeans, and a western-style button-up shirt. Women have a little more latitude, with cowboy boots preferred (but not essential), jeans or a denim or Western-style skirt, and shirt that matches the outfit. For both sexes, one thing is essential: a cowboy hat.

If you want to be dressed like an authentic Calgarian, that means you should mosey on over to the local Smithbilt hats. Smithbilt is home of the Official White Cowboy Hat of Calgary, and they make all of their hats by hand, in their Calgary factory.

There are thousands of hats to choose from, including some innovative women’s styles, but most people settle on a traditional felt or straw cowboy hat. They personally hand-fit every hat, and I loved the country look of the black felt hat.

Get a feel for the history of the Calgary Stampede

The Calgary Stampede has its roots in Calgary and District Agricultural Society events started way back in 1886.

The Stampede, as it is now, began in 1912, with just a few founding families taking part, and it’s lasted as an integral part of Calgary’s history through two World Wars to the present day. Many of today’s chuckwagon racers and rodeo participants are descendants of those original founding Stampede families.

Take in the Evening Grandstand show

I was expecting a good show, but honestly, the level of energy and professionalism at this year’s evening show really wowed.

The evening show is held at the Stampede Grandstand, which holds up to 25,000 folks (including standing room). The Grandstand also hosts the rodeo and chuckwagon races.

Tuck into a great steak

Alberta beef is famous for a good reason, and it’s a perfect accompaniment to the Stampede’s cowboy culture. Located smack-dab downtown on 8 Avenue SW at the former home of the iconic downtown Hudson’s Bay store, the The Guild is a carnivore’s dream come true.

If you’re looking for a great cut of meat, you can’t go wrong with the Charcut Roast House. The rustic-chic Charcut also has Canada’s first beer steward.

Pancake breakfasts

The tradition of the free pancake breakfast started way back in 1923, with cowboy Guy Weadick (a rough-and-tumble character of the pet badger fame). These days, there are hundreds of free pancake breakfasts around Calgary, which are organized by local restaurants, charities and local businesses. There’s even an app to help your find your new favorite pancake breakfast. You can download the Flapjack Finder app here.

Get behind the scenes with Agriculture Showcases

The Agriculture Showcases are hands on experiences with the animals and the people that tend them and allows everyone to get up close to the animals. With everything from barn tours to blacksmith showcases there’s something for everyone. There’s even a milk and cookies shack for the little ones.

I was fortunate to get a peek behind the barns at all the love and care shown for chuckwagon rider Troy Flad’s horses. For these racers, the horses are family and when you see them together there’s a lot of love in the way they treat them.

Prairie oysters

You’ll find something called prairie oysters popping up on menus all over Calgary during Stampede. These are about as far from real oysters as you can get. The tradition has its roots in real-life ranching traditions, where cowboys would chow down on prairie oysters after a long day of castrating cattle.

Castrating cattle? Yep, you guessed it, each prairie oyster is a bull testicle. I’ve heard they have a spongy, but not unpleasant taste, but I have to say I’ve never had the urge to try one myself.

Party it up!

Since Stampede is pretty much a 10 day excuse to party, Calgarians and visitors alike take full advantage, and dance the night away each and every night.

Nashville North, which is right on the Stampede grounds, amps up the fun with up to three acts a night. The vibe is fun, inclusive, and all-out loud and brash. While the crowd is largely in their 20’s, we saw plenty of folks in their 30s and 40s (ahem) or even older having a blast.

Once you’ve checked out Nashville North directly on the stampede grounds, be sure to head to the iconic Cowboys and Ranchman’s Cookhouse and Dancehall for a dose of local Calgary cowboy culture.

If music is your thing, the Coca-Cola Stage is onsite at the Stampede. Access is free with admission to Stampede Park, and the stage hosts some big name acts each year.

Watch the Showriders

The Stampede Showriders were originally formed to accompany the Stampede Showband. They’re a team of equestrian riders that perform musical rides several times a day at the Stampede.

Meet a real life cowboy

You may be surprised to learn that there are plenty of real life cowboys at the Calgary Stampede. Sure, plenty of city slickers and tourists visit, but the Stampede also draws a huge crowd of honest-to-goodness ranchers from far and wide including Canada, the USA and even from down under in Australia.

Listen to the Stampede Showband

There are 150 members of this iconic Stampede marching band, all aged between 16 and 22. They’re pretty darn good, too, and have been named the world champion of marching show bands five times. They usually play a few times throughout Stampede.

Visit the midway!

The midway is probably the part of the Stampede that I’ve visited the most over the years. There are fantastic and fun things to do and see all over the midway, from riding rollercoasters and tilt-a-whirls to playing carnival games. You can even take a look at GMC’s rugged and snow-worthy all mountain truck.

Eat all the crazy midway foods

If I have one regret for this Stampede visit, it’s that I didn’t get a chance to scarf down more outrageous midway goodies. There are food and drink trailers found throughout the midway however they are mainly found in the concession area.

The list of eats at the Calgary Stampede is long and quirky, and includes deep fried Oreos, ghost pepper pizza, crispy chicken feet (I may skip that one), deep fried Jell-O, Flinstones’-sized BBQ ribs and legs, Canadian bacon pickle balls, and of course, all things poutine. If you’re a regular carnival goer, relax. They have corndogs and mini doughnuts too for all you purists.

Browse the Indian Village

Indian Village has been part of the Stampede since 1912. The 26 tipis on site represent the five nations of Treaty 7: Kainai, Tsuut’ina, Stoney Nakoda, Siksika and Piikani. There’s plenty to do and see here, from trying traditional bannock, to watching First Nations youth dancers and learning about Native Canadian culture and history at the interpretative program.

Enjoy the Stampede Parade

The provinces largest parade kicks off the 10-day Stampede celebration, and winds its way all through downtown. It’s such an institution in Calgary that most downtown companies give their employees a day off to attend.

The city puts up stands all over downtown to accommodate all the parade goers however, if you want to ensure a seat, make sure you get there early.

Bonus Tip! Check out the Canine Stars at the Dog Bowl

Love your little four legged friends? So do I and there’s an amazing Canine show every year at the Calgary Stampede. From high jumping to Frisbee catching to dock-diving this show will please the youngest to the oldest and everyone in between. We used to take the kids to see the canine show every year when we lived in Calgary as it was one of our favorite activities at the Calgary Stampede so don’t miss it!

So, have you ever been to the Calgary Stampede? Do you have any iconic, can’t miss experiences to share? We’d love to hear about them!

I grew up on a farm, one long, dusty pickup ride from the city. Calgary is where Charles and I met, where our kids were born and it was home for a very long time.

Somehow, I haven’t shared my affection for the city here before. However, as we travel more and more, I’ve started to see my old home city through new eyes, and I thought I’d take a little time and introduce you to a few of the fun family activities in Calgary that we all love.

Things to do in Calgary with kids

Here they are, our favorite family activities in Calgary.

The Calgary Stampede

As a native Albertan, I’ve been to the Calgary Stampede probably dozens of times. It’s the epitome of family fun in Calgary, and definitely worth the visit if you’re in town in July.

Little kids may find the Stampede grandstand show a bit long, but they’ll love the midway, and all of the delicious food stands on the Stampede grounds. There’s also always a petting zoo on site, so be sure to take that in.

Calgary Zoo

Still wondering what to do in Calgary with kids? The Calgary Zoo is always a delight, whenever we visit with the kids.

There’s a lot to see, including the adorable penguin walk at 11:00 am every day in the winter, when you can see the king penguins up close on zoo grounds.

There are plenty of special activities, including a panda breakfast where you can get an exclusive viewing of the pandas before the zoo opens. There are also kids camps, school visits, and sleepovers.

Wear comfortable shoes, as this is a large zoo, with large enclosures and a lot of walking involved.

Calaway Park

Calaway Park is a Calgary institution with families.

Tucked away west of the city and well past Canada Olympic Park, Calaway Park has a killer view of the Rocky Mountains to the far west.

I can remember visiting Calaway as a kid, and getting deliriously happy, sick and dizzy all at once on some of their bigger rides. The tagline these days is “This is the moment they learn that gravity is the funnest toy on the planet” and it fits.

The Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus

Why, in a city known for its famous AAA Alberta Beef, would I choose a Dutch Pancake House as my favorite place to eat?

Well first, it’s delicious, second, the kids love eating here, and third, it’s a family tradition of ours.

The most important reason I keep coming back to the Pfanntastic Pannenkoek Haus is the food of course, which is authentic and tasty. Over the years, we’ve probably been here dozens of times. The last time we went, after a year’s absence, they still remembered us, and even remembered our favorite order.

If you’ve never had a Dutch pannenkoek, they’re more like a thin, huge crepe than a traditional pancake. They come in savory versions, where delicious fillings like cheese, onion and bacon are baked in, and sweet versions, where fruit is served warm on top of the pannenkoek.

Our favorite savory is the potato, onion and cheese, where they manage to bake the pannenkoek so the onions are caramelized sweet goodness inside. It’s served with sour cream and when you order it split for two (that way you can share one savoury and one sweet for dessert) you each get a little bowl of it to dip into on the side. The Saskatoon berry and whipped cream is our go-to sweet treat however most people rave about the Black Forest with cherries panenkoek.

Calgary’s Plus 15

Even if you’ve visited Calgary’s bustling downtown, you probably didn’t even know the Plus 15 existed.

The Plus 15 are a series of walkways, all a floor above street level, that interconnect Calgary’s many office towers, the Scotia Centre Mall, stephen Avenue Mall and even the Calgary Tower. You can see the walkways, enclosed by glass, running between most buildings downtown.

When Calgary is in the grip of a winter chill, I’ve always enjoyed taking the kids for a walk through the Plus 15.

It’s a fantastic way to navigate downtown in the winter with the family without ever getting a chill, and well worth getting to know because they connect some of the City’s best downtown attractions, restaurants, and shopping.

I spent countless hours walking the Plus 15 when I worked in corporate Calgary. You’ll find a handy map of the +15 system here.

Kananaskis

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Kananaskis country used to be every Calgarian’s little secret. While the rest of the world spent their vacation time nearby in beautiful Banff, we Calgarian families would head out to the wilds of Kananaskis for  weekend hiking and camping.

K-country is a little more well known these days, but it’s still a fantastic place to explore the Rocky Mountains and only a 45 minute drive from Calgary proper. Kananaskis is a network of three wild, gorgeous mountain parks with 4,000 sq. km.

Science World at TELUS World of Science

The Telus SPARK Science Centre Science World is an impressive 153,000 square foot ode to all things nerdy and good in my list.

Here’s what Science World has to offer: over one hundred hands-on exhibits, four exhibit galleries, plus one travelling exhibition gallery, an expanded and enhanced Creative Kids Museum, Calgary’s only HD digital Dome Theatre, a new Presentation Theatre and Learning Centre, a 10,000 square-foot atrium, a four-acre outdoor park, and so much more.

The next time we have an afternoon to spare in Calgary, I guarantee you’ll find us at the science center getting our nerd on with the kids.

Stephen Avenue

I’ve always loved walking down Stephen Avenue (8th Avenue) downtown, one of Calgary’s best pedestrian streets. It’s a fantastic place for kids to roam, and to people watch or grab a bite to eat.

If you’re a shopper, there are some great stores along Stephen Ave, many of them trendy boutique shops. 

Make sure you check out the the steel “Trees” sculpture while you’re there.th

Floating down the Bow River

The Bow cuts through Calgary’s downtown, and is fed by the clear waters of the Rocky Mountains. It’s a fast flowing and cool mountain river.

On a hot summer day, you’ll see families and friends tubing down in droves, and on quiet mornings you’ll find fly fishermen casting lines offshore just west of downtown.

That said, be aware the Bow is a fast moving river, cold even in summer months, and you could end up in big trouble if you fall off your raft or inner tube.

You must wear a life preserver while floating on the river. The City of Calgary states “Failure to comply is ticketed offence, which entails a mandatory court appearance and up to $500 in fines.” Alcohol isn’t permitted on the river, either.

You can rent rafts at a few places in town, including the incredibly well equipped Outdoor Centre at the University of Calgary.

More in Calgary

After spending well over 30 years in and around Calgary, that’s just a taste of what we love about the city. There’s a lot more to check out (in fact, we could probably write a pretty long guidebook about it!), and a lot more things to do in Calgary, from the Calgary Tower, Heritage Park, and the amazing GlobalFest fireworks shows, to a lot of other little local secrets we discovered through the years.

You can find out more about Calgary through Tourism Calgary’s website, or follow them on Facebook or Twitter.

Bow River photo courtesy Tourism Calgary.

Day trips from Calgary

I wouldn’t feel right talking about visiting Calgary without mentioning a couple of my favorite day trips from the city. 

Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology

Both the kids and I adore the Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology, which is absolutely world class, and great fun to visit.

I worked there one summer helping paleontologist Phil Currie (who I’m sure doesn’t remember at all, it was so long ago), and I have great memories of being allowed to see the collections in back, and watch scientists at work cataloging, photographing, and preparing specimens.

Highly recommended! 

The Royal Tyrrell Museum of Palaeontology is located about an hour and a half’s drive east of Calgary in Drumheller, Alberta.

Dinosaur Provincial Park

If you’re feeling like a longer road trip the World Heritage Site at Dinosaur Provincial Park is well worth a visit as well. 

It’s about two and a half hours to the east of Calgary, near the town of Brooks.

The kids will have a blast roaming the grounds, and there are even opportunities to join in on a dig with working scientists.

Banff National Park

Banff National Park is about and hour and a half west of Calgary, and a great place for fun with the kids.

The busy town site is in a stunning natural setting, and a lot of fun to wander around it.

Make sure you stop by Moraine lake, which is otherworldly shade of aquamarine, dip in the Upper Hot Springs near the town, take a gondola ride, and check out Johnston Canyon.

Jasper National Park

Jasper National Park, like Banff, is truly stunning. The town itself is much smaller than Banff, so it’s much quieter and serene.

Jasper is a truly special place, with the northern lights known to make a regular appearance, stunning mountain and lake views, plenty of wildlife, and great food and drink.

I was lucky enough to visit Jasper during the Jasper Dark Sky Festival on my last trip! The next time I visit I’m going to take the kids – they would love it!

The Dark Sky Festival is usually held over two weekends in October, and it’s packed with events, speakers and activities that feature science, space and conservation.

Past speakers have included George Takei (best known as Sulu from the original Star Trek TV series), Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield (check out his informative and entertaining Facebook account here), plus Kari Byron, Grant Imahara, and Tory Belleci (former co-hosts of Discovery Channel’s hit show Mythbusters).

Jasper is quite the trek from Calgary. It’s almost a five hour drive to the northwest.

Have you ever been to Calgary? What are your favorite Calgary kids activities? Let us know!