Calgary’s beloved Ranchman’s makes coveted comeback

After nearly two years of being shut down, the Stampede staple and Calgary’s iconic honkey tonk bar, Ranchmans is back.

Though the nightclub has new owners, they are promising to keep the country bar very much the same.

Dan Carson, country-western music broadcaster for CityNews, tells us the importance of keeping that western vibe and adding new aspects to it.

“You dove into the Calgary Stampede. It always felt like this was kind of an extension of the Calgary Stampede. During the event itself, there’s so many places to go and yet everyone always went back to Ranchman’s. So I think there’s a very special vibe there,” said Carson.

The bar first opened its doors in April of 1972 and is nearly 50 years old. Since then, it has been a Stampede hotspot hosting some of the biggest country music artists, such as Canada’s own Shania Twain and Paul Brandt.

The bar also has made its Hollywood debut by featured in movies, including ‘Cool Runnings’ with legendary actor John Candy and in ‘Brokeback Mountain’ with the late Heath Ledger.

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The new owners are vowing to keep much of the rodeo nostalgia going as the previous owners did.

“It’s a very unique place with a lot of the Rodeo momentos that the former owner Harris Dvorkin had collected over the years. He’s just a huge rodeo guy. You feel that the minute that you walk in there,” said Carson.

I think it’s important for it to stay the same but you know life doesn’t stay the same it does need to move forward too. I’d like to see any new changes there,” said Carson.

The bar, like so many, was hit by the pandemic in 2020 and was up for lease in the fall but was sold shortly after.

“I really felt a loss when Ranchman’s announced just so abruptly that it was suddenly no longer part of Calgary because it was such a huge part of Calgary it was a huge part of my professional life. I met so many walks of life on that dance floor near that stage.”

“Ranchman’s did shut down due to the pandemic but was bought shortly after by new owners vowing to keep the western vibe alive and well, which means the mechanical bull is back, so hold on tight if you’re feeling lucky,” said Carson.

Tickets for this opening weekend are sold out but don’t worry, plenty of events are set in the next coming weeks such as the Chris Stapleton after-party on May 12.

If you have ever wanted to try your hat at bull riding, now you can brace your backbone, because the mechanical bull is also making its return.

–With files from Gaby Rios, Haley Jarmain and Kelly Turner