‘Yahoo!’: Here’s a roundup of what’s happening at the 2026 Calgary Stampede
Posted Jul 2, 2026 11:20 am.
Last Updated Jul 2, 2026 11:23 am.
“Yahoo,” the iconic holler for the Calgary Stampede, will likely be heard a lot over the next 10 days, starting on Friday.
The 114th annual outdoor show, where everyone is a cowboy and cowgirl, has plenty to offer, whether it’s midway games and rides, festivals and concerts, the Stampede Rodeo, or endless pancake breakfasts.
So where to start? Whether you’re visiting Calgary, a lifelong or new resident, CityNews has you covered.
Of course, getting around can be tricky, so before you wonder where to go, Calgary Transit has its CTrains running 24 hours for the duration of the event, up until midnight on July 13.
Some buses also have extended late-night service, and express buses from North Pointe and McKenzie Towne will take you straight to the Stampede. Those are Route 511, the Stampede North Express, and Route 512, the Stampede SE Express.
Now that that’s out of the way, here is a schedule of major events, along with price tags for tickets and rides.
Sneak-A-Peek
The first chance to take in the sights and sounds of “The Greatest Show on Earth” is this Thursday at the Stampede Sneak-A-Peek.
Tickets to Stampede Park grant access to the midway for some games and rides, along with a preview of the grandstand show.
You can enter the park from 5 p.m. until midnight for $15. Tickets include access to concerts, Stampede venues and shows, entertainment, exhibits, midway rides, games, and food.
While not everything is available at the Sneak-A-Peek, it’s a good way to see everything before you head down.
Stampede Parade
It’s not the Calgary Stampede without the parade to kick off the 10-day show, and it begins Friday at 9 a.m.
Not one but two Canadian Olympians will lead this year’s parade. Mikaël Kingsbury and Courtney Sarault were selected as marshals, both holding nine medals between them, with the latter winning all four during the 2026 Cortina Milano Winter Olympics — a first for Canada.
Getting down to the parade can be tricky due to road closures, but Stampede officials say using public transit or carpooling is optimal to avoid traffic disruptions.
However, if you need to drive on down, it’s best to arrive before 7:30 a.m., the time roads close. It’s also recommended to arrive bright and early to secure a seat or spot to grab the best views.
Stampede officials say parking restrictions will begin at noon on July 2 and last through 2 p.m. on July 3 in and around the downtown core, including East Village.
Many roads in East Village are expected to close at 6 a.m. on parade day, with access to downtown from there also being closed starting at 7:30 a.m.
The City of Calgary says traffic on 9 Avenue heading east will have to head onto 11 Street SW, and motorists are advised to use 5 or 12 avenues to bypass the closures.
Additionally, those choosing to drive into downtown are encouraged to use Blackfoot Trail, Stoney Trail, Crowchild Trail, 16 Avenue and Deerfoot Trail as alternate routes.
It’s also important to note that parking restrictions will be in effect from noon on July 3 until 3 p.m. on parade day.
Once the parade finishes at 11 a.m., visitors can head to the grounds for free admission up until 1 p.m.
More information on parking and road closures can be found online here.
Stampede admission/value days
If you’re looking for a deal, the Calgary Stampede Family Day provides free access to the park on Sunday, July 5 until 11 a.m.
This comes with a free pancake breakfast at the GMC Courtyard from 8-10 a.m., along with a variety show at 10 a.m.
The TC Energy Community Day is on June 7 from 10 a.m to 1 p.m., and it’s free all day. Seniors and Military Veterans can also receive free coffee and donuts until 11 a.m.
And BMO Kids’ Day on July 8 has free admission for kids 12 and under all day, and everyone else until 11 a.m. There’s free breakfast at the GMC Stadium Courtyard from 8-10 a.m., and you can catch another variety show for free during that time.
The Stampede Superpass offers discounted admission for 10 days at $50 plus tax. You can find this online here until July 2 or at any FreshCo, Chalo FreshCo, Sobeys, Safeway, and IGA locations.
The Ride All Day Midway Pass can also be purchased at those same stores for $46.99 plus tax, which grants free ride access for one day during the Stampede. This does not include admission.
Not only that, but you can also get discounts on admission or rides by making purchases at the store.
Meanwhile, general admission is $28 for those 13 to 64, and $17 for seniors 65 and up.
More information on value deals can be found online.
Major attractions at the Stampede
Rodeo and Grandstand Show
One of the main draws is the Calgary Stampede Rodeo, which features chuckwagons and other rodeo events in the afternoons, starting at 1:30 p.m. right up until the start of the Grandstand Show.
Standard-priced rodeo tickets are anywhere between $50 and $200, and come with free admission to Stampede Park that day. Tickets can be purchased online, while tickets to stand and watch are available in the morning.
What you can expect to see at the rodeo are breakaway roping, the chuckwagons, steer wrestling, bull riding, and more.
The Grandstand Show has Alberta country group High Valley headlining alongside the Young Canadians, which concludes with the Stampede fireworks at 11 p.m.
Stampede Midway
As always, there will be plenty of rides and games to take part in on the Stampede ground, but it wouldn’t be the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth without the wild flavours of the midway.
There will be another long list of wild and wacky foods that Stampede-goers can enjoy this year.
Some of this year’s delicacies include spicy dill pickle cotton candy, a hashbrown ice cream sandwich, fried frozen watermelon, and crab rangoon wonton nachos.
A list of midway snacks can be found here.
Shows at Stampede Park
Coca-Cola Stage
The first weekend of the Stampede will have plenty of music from a variety of genres on the Coca-Cola Stage, which remains free with admission.
Ashe, Alessia Cara, All Time Low, and Our Lady Peace headline these days.
The following week features Jonah Kagen, Deadmau5, Chingy, Mother Mother, and Friday taking the stage, while the second weekend brings out Ayra Starr and The Beaches.
Other performers include The Takes, Scott Helman, Dax, Boy Golden, Sofia Camara, PartyOf2, Geordie Kieffer, Dylan Sinclair, Lu Kala, and renforshort.
More information can be found here.
Stampede Concert Series
Canada’s own Alanis Morissette and A$AP Rocky are headlining the concert series at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
A$AP Rocky takes the stage first on Saturday, July 4, while Morissette makes her appearance on July 11.
Brandy Clark will be opening for Morissette.
Nashville North
Another regular tent, Nashville North, has plenty of headliners from July 3-12.
This includes Josh Ross, Ashley McBryde, Redferrin, Russell Dickerson, Hudson Westbrook, Shane Smith & The Saints, Ernest, Bailey Zimmerman, Jade Eagleson, Chris Young, James Barker Band, Chris Janson, and Parmalee.
You can find more information on the concert website.
Big Four Roadhouse
Whether rock music or some country music, the Big Four has lots to offer. Minors will be permitted until 6 p.m.
Artists include Mariya Stokes, Logan Ryan Band, Colin James, Sons of Legion, Terri Clark, The Marshall Tucker Band, Johnny Reid, Everlast, William Prince, Tanya Tucker, and Glass Tiger.
Guests can also reserve seats for up to six people starting at 7:45 p.m. each night, along with snagging a Roadhouse Rush pass for $75, which grants access to the park, the rodeo, and no-line access to the Big Four building.
Find more on the Roadhouse schedule, along with information about a Big Four Roadhouse pass, can be found here.
Off-grounds concerts
Cowboys Music Festival
The Cowboys tent will takeover Cowboys park in the west-end of downtown for the duration of Stampede.
Headlines this year include Jason Aldean, John Summit, The Chainsmokers, and much more.
Tickets and festival information can be found here.
Badlands Music Festival
Electronic music lovers will be flocking to the Badlands tent along 9 Avenue SW in downtown Calgary.
There’s a show each night for the 10 days of Stampede, plus the Thursday before the official kickoff. Headliners this year include Dom Dolla, Above & Beyond, and Chris Lake.
Tickets and other information can be found here.
Wildhorse Saloon
The Wildhorse tent sits in the heart of downtown Calgary and is open throughout the duration Stampede, with shows most nights.
This year some of the biggest acts to play the stage will be Modest Mouse, Matthew Good, and the legendary voice of the Simpsons Hank Azaria fronting a Bruce Springsteen tribute band.
More information, including tickets can be found here.
Round-Up Musical Festival
The Roundup Music Festival is doubling down on live music this summer, expanding to two full days at Prince’s Island Park.
The festival runs July 8 and 9 and includes classic rock icons Billy Idol and David Lee Roth one night, and indie favourites Foster the People the next evening.
More information on the lineup and tickets can be found here.
Oxford Stomp
Following the Roundup festival, Oxford Stomp will take over Prince’s Island Park on July 10.
The one-day event includes the Arkells, Portugal The Man, and more.
More information tickets and the lineup can be found here.
Pancake breakfasts
It’s not a Calgary Stampede without some pancake breakfasts.
There are a ton of breakfasts around the city, whether at the University of Calgary or to mark the start of Stampede on Stephen Avenue.
Here’s a list of free pancake breakfasts across the city before and during the Stampede, which runs July 3-12.
You can use the 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.
