Calgary Stampede 2023 attendance nearing record as smoke settles in
Posted Jul 14, 2023 3:56 pm.
Last Updated Jul 14, 2023 3:57 pm.
With everything happening at the Stampede this weekend and smoke continuing to blanket Calgary, could the event set a new attendance record?
At the end of Thursday, total attendance was just shy of one million people, putting the record from 2012 of more than 1.4 million certainly within sight.
The 2012 record smashed the previous record set in 2006 by nearly 147,000.
The Stampede would need to average around 140,000 people through the gates Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to get close to reaching the record set during the Stampede centennial.
The opening day of the Stampede last Friday was the second-highest attendance ever in the show’s history, with almost 165,000 people going through the gates.
Meanwhile, Mother Nature has been throwing heaps of trouble through the 10-day event with thunderstorms and wildfire smoke, but it hasn’t stopped visitors from attending the park.
Read More: Calgary Stampede day 7: Wildfire smoke not affecting festival
Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has continued its special air quality statement from Thursday, saying, “Wildfire smoke can be harmful to everyone’s health even at low concentrations.”
Meteorologists are recommending Calgarians continue to take action to protect their health and reduce exposure to smoke.
“People with lung disease (such as asthma) or heart disease, older adults, children, pregnant people, and people who work outdoors are at higher risk of experiencing health effects caused by wildfire smoke, the ECCC said.
The air quality index is at five, considered a “moderate risk.”
Kerrie Blizard, the director of public safety and environment at the Stampede, told reporters Thursday that there’s no risk of any changes to events at this time.
“At that level, we are really just continuing to monitor. The current conditions are certainly less than ideal for us, but there is no imminent plans to modify or cancel any scheduled programs,” she said.
“We are just aware of the changing circumstances to make sure that we continue to communicate with our people and our guests.”
WATCH: The smoke’s impact on Calgary Stampede
It’s the final weekend to take in the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” so there are still opportunities to treat yourself to some midway food and ride some rides.
The park is open until midnight, with daily afternoon rodeos at 1:30 p.m. and evening shows happening at GMC Stadium at 7:45 each night.
Read More: Calgary Stampede launches phone app to help visitors plan park events
Stampede Park admission gets free access to concerts on the Coca-Cola stage.
More information on events and concerts can be found on the Stampede schedule online.
-With files from Silvia Naranjo and Shilpa Downton
