Outdoor festivals on first days of Calgary Stampede hit with 70 noise complaints
Posted Jul 7, 2026 7:04 am.
The City of Calgary says it’s received 70 noise complaints stemming from outdoor music festivals happening during the Stampede, with one already receiving a ticket.
The Cowboys Music Festival received 40 complaints, about the same number as at this time last year, while complaints for the Badlands Music Festival rose to 15 — up from 6 in 2025.
National Saloon received 15 complaints, the bar Whisky Rose received five, and Mexifest received one.
The city says peace officers are out each night taking noise readings in nearby residential neighbourhoods, adding that Cowboys Music Festival has been below the maximum decibel limit per its noise exemption.
Badlands, however, was reportedly above the decibel limit and was issued a ticket that’s now under review.
“We strongly encourage event organizers to adjust decibel levels to comply with their noise exemption permit and to avoid escalating enforcement action,” a city news release reads.
The noise bylaw came under extreme scrutiny from politicians outside the city when Penny Lane Entertainment president Paul Vickers, who owns Cowboys, complained it would hamper business, drumming up support from various politicians, including Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre.
Mayor Jeromy Farkas pushed back, saying operators knew months in advance, and Ward 1 Kim Tyers’ attempts to change the bylaw were defeated in council.
Another music festival, Country Thunder, passed the blame to the City of Calgary for cancelling its festival, citing the noise bylaw as one of several reasons.
Farkas again pushed back, saying officials were speaking with them in the lead-up to the event, granting them an exemption and increased noise limits.
Country Thunder digital manager Megan Benoit said they can’t operate “with those noise levels.” However, CityNews also spoke with her days prior, who said they had no intentions of cancelling at the time, but expressed concern over the bylaw.
The bylaw says noise levels before midnight remain at 75 dBA, the same as 2025, though bass levels were dropped to 82 dBC. It then shifts to 65 dBA and 80 dBC until 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, with exit music until 2 a.m. From Sunday to Thursday, exit music can be played until 1 a.m.
The limits aren’t measured at the festival but at the nearest residential neighbourhood, meaning noise can be much higher on site.
A noise exemption allows leeway on emitted noise from 10 p.m. until the morning. Cowboys Music Festival weren’t permitted a noise exemption.
The city says an update on noise complaints will be provided on July 9.
