While the rodeo and chuckwagon races may keep you on the edge of your seat, you can join over half o

Every July, on the same day that the United States celebrates its independence, the City of Calgary, Alberta, Canada comes alive with the thundering of hooves as hundreds cowboys and horses fill the downtown streets in a huge parade that goes on for several hours. But this is only part of the huge Calgary Stampede , a 10-day mix of high-stakes rodeo, live music, an agricultural exhibition, First Nation encampment, and midway, billed as "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth."
The Stampede goes back to 1886 when the Calgary and District Agricultural things to do in los angeles Society held its first fair. In 1912, American trick roper Guy Weadick organized his first rodeo in Calgary. Over 100,000 people attended things to do in los angeles the six-day event in September 1912 to watch cowboys from all over North America compete for $20,000 in prizes. Weadick returned in 1919 to organize things to do in los angeles the Victory Stampede things to do in los angeles in honor of soldiers returning from World War I. Weadick's rodeo became an annual event in 1923 when it merged with the Calgary Industrial Exhibition things to do in los angeles to create the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede.
Calgary takes on a party atmosphere during the Stampede. Business owners paint office buildings and storefronts in cowboy themes, nearly everyone dons western gear, and pancake breakfasts and barbecues held across the city keep everyone fed. There's a great array of Calgary hotels on offer but they fill up quick for the Stampede some as far as a year in advance so get in early to avoid disappointment.
The Stampede Parade things to do in los angeles serves as the official opening of the Stampede and steps out at precisely 8:55 A.M. on the first Friday of the event. This two-and-a-half-hour spectacle begins with the World Champion Calgary Stampede Showband, its members dressed in red and white uniforms. Behind it you'll hear the clip-clop of horses over 800 of them in a dynamic ribbon of pageantry, featuring 150 floats, cowboys, chuckwagons, Shriner airplanes, clowns, politicians. celebrities, and participants things to do in los angeles from five First Nations, dressed in traditional regalia, their horses with beaded adornments as beautiful as those of their riders'.
Snagging a prime curb location should be your goal. But you'll have to compete with over 350,000 regulars since the determination to secure a clear view of the parade is tradition dating back to early days when parade goers sat on wooden boxes bought for 10 from the Chinese-owned grocery stores on 7 th Avenue. Some sat on the roofs of buildings overlooking the route or even climbed telephone poles for bird's-eye views.
The rodeo is the heart of the Calgary Stampede. It's not only one of the largest, but also offers the richest payout $100,000 to the winner of each event. Cowboys consider it to be the highlight of the rodeo season.
Watch as a cowboy, having just leaped from his horse, wraps his arms around a steer's neck in an attempt to drive it to the ground. Two other men on horseback follow close behind. Again and again, cowboys compete to see who can do it the fastest. Even more exciting is the bronco bull riding where fearless cowboys attempt to hang onto ropes tied around a bucking bulls in minutes of pure torture.
The Stampede things to do in los angeles rodeo features six major events bull riding, barrel racing, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, saddle bronc and bareback riding plus four novice events junior steer riding, novice bareback, novice saddle bronc and wild pony racing. The participants make up two pools, each competing for four nights. The top four in each pool advance to the Sunday final and a chance to win the $100,000 grand prize.
The pounding of hooves and trembling of the ground signals the start of the chuckwagon races, known as the Rangeland things to do in los angeles Derby. You'll witness heart-stopping things to do in los angeles action as four wagons driven things to do in los angeles by teams of four horses race down a dirt track in nine nightly things to do in los angeles heats.. Several things to do in los angeles riders on horseback follow. Weadick invented the sport of chuckwagon things to do in los angeles racing in 1923, inviting ranchers to enter their wagons and crews to compete for a total of $275 in prize money. Nicknamed the "half-mile of hell", chuckwagon racing quickly became the Stampede's biggest attraction. While only six teams raced in 1923, today's things to do in los angeles Rangeland Derby consists of 36 drivers, 216 horses and their teams of outriders vying for $1.15 million things to do in los angeles in prize money.
While the rodeo and chuckwagon races may keep you on the edge of your seat, you can join over half of all Stampede visitors at the exhibition part of the festival. Fifty agricultural programs, organized by more than 1,000 exhibitors, show off the latest and greatest in agriculture, from prize-winning cows to the American National Cutting Horse Association's World Series of Cutting event, and the World Championship Blacksmith Competition. Farm and ranch demonstrations feature numerous breeds things to do in los angeles of livestock along with stock dog trials and team penning competitions.
At each Stampede, the five nations of the Treaty 7 the Tsuu T'ina, Piikani, Stoney, Kainai and Siksika create an "Indian Village" on the banks of the Elbow River. They erect tepees, organize pow wows, offer arts and crafts, and re-enact elements of their traditional lifestyle.
But don't forget to take some time off to have fun. The Calgary Stampede midway is the only part of the event operated things to do in los angeles on a for-profit basis. And though considered an essential component of the Stampede, it doesn't follow the western theme. The midway opens on the Thursday night before other events begin, known as "sneak-a-peek" night. In addition to the traditional rides and carnival games, the midway features several concert areas, showcasing country things to do in los angeles and rock music. In 2012, Garth Brooks and The Beach Boys took center stage to help celebrate the Stampede's 100th anniversary.
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