First Flip breakfast kicks off 2026 Calgary Stampede
Posted Jul 2, 2026 2:36 pm.
Last Updated Jul 2, 2026 5:02 pm.
The familiar smell of pancakes filled Stephen Avenue on Thursday as the First Flip breakfast returned, giving Calgarians and visitors an early taste of the 2026 Calgary Stampede.
The downtown event marked the official start of Stampede season, with flour, sugar, water, baking soda, eggs and milk mixed into the staple food that has become synonymous with the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Prominent leaders were on hand to flip flapjacks, including Federal Finance Minister François‑Philippe Champagne, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas.
“We’re here for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth,” said Champagne.
Farkas said welcoming the world as mayor is “a dream come true for a Calgary kid.”
The mayor also offered tongue‑in‑cheek advice to both Smith and Champagne, saying he told them to “keep it down after midnight,” a reference to a now-quashed spat between him and the premier over Stampede‑related noise levels.
What began as a six‑day rodeo and exhibition in 1912 has grown into a world‑class event attracting more than a million people each year for rodeo competitions, chuckwagon races, agricultural showcases, concerts and cultural celebrations.
Many Calgarians would probably argue the pancake breakfasts are just as central to the tradition, with hundreds of free events popping up across the city and bringing neighbours, families and visitors together.
The first opportunity to take in the sights and sounds of the Stampede comes Thursday evening at the Sneak‑A‑Peek.
Here’s a list of free pancake breakfasts across the city before and during the Stampede, which runs July 3-12.
You can use this Stampede free breakfast locator to browse events by location or date. You can also use this submission form to let us know of an event you would like added to the list.
