Gondek, Smith highlight investment, economy at ‘first flip’ Calgary Stampede breakfast

Thursday morning marked the unofficial start to the 2025 Calgary Stampede, as hundreds turned out to Stephen Avenue for the ‘first flip.’

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith donned aprons and cowboy hats to man the grill and serve pancakes to eager Calgarians and tourists.

Michael Walker told 660 NewsRadio he has been to many Stampede breakfasts in his time, even the 2023 world-record breakfast, which saw 17,182 pancakes served in eight hours.

This year, he decided to take in the First Flip for the first time.

“I just thought it was a good way to start the whole Stampede experience and the weather is great,” Walker said. “I wanted to check it out, it seems worth it.”

Walker added that the refreshments also got a passing grade.

“The pancakes were good, evenly cooked, not too brown, nice and fluffy, and the berries were melted, so no frozen berries,” he laughed.

Tourism officials are anticipating more than 1.3 million people to take part in this year’s festivities, generating a significant boost for the economy.

Gondek says the continued increased success of Stampede is direct result of continued investment into the city.

“When you invest in your city, it shows, and we’ve done so much investment and downtown revitalization — we invested in the expansion of the BMO Centre, we’ve got Scotia Place coming up out of the ground,” she said. “We are well-known for being amazing hosts, and now it is driving our very vital hospitality economy.”

Smith took the opportunity to highlight the Calgary Stampede’s storied history.

“It’s our culture, it’s our past, it’s our present, it’s our future. It is open to absolutely everyone and we’re going to pull out all the stops just like we do every single year,” she said. “Last year’s Stampede attendance set a record and I know that you are going to top it again this year.”

The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth officially kicks off Friday with the parade. But, those eager to get a taste of the grounds can take in Thursday’s Sneak-a-Peek, which runs from 3 p.m. to midnight Thursday.

Early admission runs from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Five bucks gets you early access to midway rides, games, and food.

General Sneak-a-Peak admission is $13 and is valid from 5 p.m. to midnight. This allows access to all Stampede venues an shows, midway rides, games, and food, as well as concerts, entertainment, exhibits, and more.

Patrons who entered with an early access ticket will automatically have full access after 5 p.m. — there’s no need to re-enter or upgrade your admission.