The first Saturday morning at the Calgary Stampede grounds feels like stepping into a current—thousands of bodies moving in concert, the air thick with the scent of frying dough and livestock. Children in oversized cowboy hats weave between adults sporting fresh boots still stiff with newness. This year, there are more of them than ever before.
As the 2025 Calgary Stampede enters its final weekend, organizers are watching attendance numbers climb toward what could become an all-time record in the event’s 113-year history. With five days left to go, more than 800,000 visitors have already passed through the gates, putting the Stampede on pace to potentially surpass the 1.4 million attendance mark set in 2012 during the centennial celebration.
“We’re seeing a perfect storm of factors coming together,” explains Jennifer McKenzie, communications director for the Calgary Stampede. “Post-pandemic travel confidence is fully back, we’ve had exceptional weather, and there’s this palpable desire for community celebration that seems stronger than ever.”
The surge comes as welcome news for a city that has weathered economic uncertainties in recent years. Calgary’s hospitality sector reports hotel occupancy rates hovering near 95% during the first week of Stampede, with downtown restaurants boasting two-hour wait times even on weeknights.
When I visited the grounds yesterday afternoon, the energy was unmistakable. Melanie Yazzie, who traveled from Albuquerque with her family of five, told me they’d planned this trip for over two years. “We saved up specifically for this experience,” she said, as her youngest daughter clutched a stuffed horse won at the midway. “The scale of it all—it’s beyond what we imagined.”
The record attendance isn’t without growing pains. Transit officials have added extra trains to accommodate the crowds, and some longtime attendees express mixed feelings about the sheer volume of visitors. Environmental groups have raised concerns about the carbon footprint of such massive gatherings, though Stampede officials point to expanded sustainability initiatives this year, including a new composting program that has already diverted an estimated 40 tonnes of waste from landfills.
The economic impact extends beyond the Stampede grounds. According to Tourism Calgary, the ten-day event typically generates over $282 million in economic activity for the city. This year’s numbers are projected to reach closer to $300 million, based on preliminary spending data from the first weekend.
“What we’re seeing is a kind of post-restriction euphoria combined with genuine cultural interest,” explains Dr. Katherine Morley, a sociologist at Mount Royal University who studies festival culture. “Large cultural events like Stampede serve as anchoring experiences in our social calendars. After years of disruption, there’s heightened value placed on these collective gatherings.”
Indigenous participation has also expanded this year. The Elbow River Camp, formerly known as Indian Village, has grown to include representatives from all Treaty 7 Nations, with expanded programming that includes traditional storytelling sessions and demonstrations of ecological knowledge that long predates the Stampede itself.
“This isn’t just about numbers,” says Armond Running Wolf, a Blackfoot elder who has participated in Stampede cultural programs for over three decades. “It’s about creating spaces where our histories and present realities can be shared accurately. The attendance growth gives us a larger platform, but the responsibility to educate respectfully grows with it.”
The weather has certainly cooperated. Unlike previous years marred by thunderstorms or excessive heat, this year’s Stampede has enjoyed consistently mild temperatures between 18-25°C with minimal precipitation—ideal conditions for outdoor festivities according to Environment Canada’s historical data for the region.
Not everyone celebrates the growth trajectory. Long-time Calgarian and annual attendee Marietta Chen told me she now avoids weekend visits entirely. “I’ve been coming for 27 years, and the magic happens in the quiet moments—watching a craftsperson work, having an unhurried conversation with a rancher. That’s harder to find when you’re shoulder-to-shoulder with tourists.”
As the final weekend approaches, city officials are preparing for what could be the largest single-day attendance in Stampede history. The Calgary Police Service has increased their presence, though they report that despite the crowds, incident reports remain comparable to previous years.
Perhaps most telling is the broader picture. Event registrations for amateur rodeo competitions saw a 32% increase this year, with participants coming from across Canada and twelve other countries. The Stampede has evolved far beyond its agricultural roots into a global cultural phenomenon while still maintaining connections to its western heritage.
Walking through the grounds as evening approached, I watched visitors from seemingly every demographic find their place in this sprawling celebration. A group of seniors danced to live country music while nearby, teenagers in trendy streetwear mingled with traditional western attire at food stalls serving everything from beef brisket to butter chicken poutine.
Whether the final attendance figure breaks the record remains to be seen, but what’s already clear is that Calgary’s signature event has found renewed resonance in a post-pandemic world hungry for connection and celebration. In a time of digital isolation, there’s something powerfully affirming about standing in a physical crowd, dust on your boots, sharing in centuries-old traditions while creating new ones.
