Noisy neighbours: City monitoring Stampede tents as complaints climb
Posted Jul 10, 2026 2:23 pm.
Last Updated Jul 10, 2026 2:35 pm.
The City of Calgary says it is keeping a close ear on noise coming from Stampede festival sites as complaints continue to come in, with most aimed at the Cowboys Music Festival tent.
The city had logged 186 noise complaints tied to Stampede events as of Thursday morning, and Cowboys accounted for 124 of them.
Under Calgary’s noise exemption permit, live music at festival sites is expected to stay around 75 dBA, with levels required to drop at midnight on weeknights and midnights on weekends.
Cowboys has hired FM Systems to monitor sound levels around the site. Dan, one of the technicians on duty, said the venue asked him to measure readings in nearby residential areas to ensure they remain within legal limits.
“We’re doing really good,” he said, noting the tent was operating within its permitted thresholds.
CityNews visited the area during the day Thursday to see how loud things were, and then again just before midnight Thursday. Taking decibel readings from outside a condo tower overlooking the Cowboys tent.
The decibel readings hovered around where they were supposed to be during the live music, staying between 70 and 80 dBA.
However, that sound level continued even after the music ended due to crowd noise in the area. There were groups of people gathered outside the venue and along the street, keeping the sound levels elevated well past midnight.
Complaints continue to file into the city from residents who say the late-night noise is affecting their ability to rest. John, who lives near the festival grounds, said the issue comes down to respecting the people who call the neighbourhood home.
“Everyone needs quiet time, sleep and rest,” he said.
Others attending the festival offered a different perspective, saying the events bring economic benefits and that noise is part of living near major entertainment districts.
“I work tomorrow morning at 8:30,” one attendee said. “But I’m still here having fun.”
Despite the complaints, the city has only issued one now-rescinded ticket to the Badlands Music Festival.
Residents can report noise issues through 311, and information on noise regulations and major event permits is available on Calgary.ca.
The city will release another update on noise complaints on Sunday.
