Calgary Stampede kicks off Thursday with Sneak-a-Peek

article content

Dust off your boots because the Calgary Stampede kicks off Thursday with Sneak-a-Peek and officially kicks off with Friday’s Stampede parade led by parade marshal Kevin Costner.

article content

Stampede Park opens to Sneak-a-Peek crowds at 5 p.m. with an $11 admission for those who want to see the food, midway, and music a day early. But anticipation is high for the return of the Stampede parade on Friday morning.

The Stampede Parade has played a role in the festivities since 1912, but was canceled in 2020 and went virtual only in 2021. On Friday at 9 a.m., floats, horses, marching bands and other parade entries take to the streets of downtown Calgary to celebrate once again. the start of the Calgary Stampede.

This year’s parade will begin at the intersection of 9th Avenue and 3rd Street SE at 9 am and will travel 18 blocks of downtown.

Entries with Kevin Costner as parade marshal will travel west on 9th Avenue to 10th Street SW, where they will travel north to 6th Avenue and continue east to 4th Street SE.

article content

Roads will be closed at 7 am, or 6 am in the East Village, but Calgary police advise people not to park in parking lots or lots that face closed roads, because they won’t be able to get their vehicles out. until the roads open after 2 p.m. Motorists may not drive anywhere on the closed parade route.

Matt Baker, the police inspector and commander of Stampede this year, said they will have a highly visible presence along the parade route and in Stampede Park again this year, as they have in years past.

“Our number one priority is the safety of Calgarians and our guests, and we are confident that we are ready for Stampede 2022,” said Baker.

“Stampede Park operates as a 9th police precinct with its own commander, radio station, patrol cars and office. This allows us to coordinate policing in Stampede Park and ensure that all parts of Stampede Park are well patrolled.”

article content

The Calgary Stampede said in a press release Wednesday that they are encouraging everyone to celebrate respectfully and responsibly.

“Calgary Stampede is a gathering place for our community and our visitors from around the world to come together in celebration,” said Jim Laurendeau, vice president of park planning and development.

“Our priority is to ensure our guests are safe, while having fun and showing the world our Calgary brand of western hospitality.”

Calgary Stampede works with the city, police, Calgary Emergency Management Agency, fire department, Alberta Health Services and Calgary Transit to keep the Stampede running smoothly and create a safe place for attendees. Stampede Park becomes the third largest city in the province for the 10 days of the event, according to the Calgary Stampede.

article content

CEMA chief Sue Henry said people need to be prepared for severe summer weather and have a plan if their group gets separated.

“Stampede is a wonderful opportunity for our community to come together and welcome the world. CEMA has worked closely with our partner agencies, including the Calgary Stampede, to help plan a safe and fun celebration,” said Henry.

For cyclists attending Stampede, an expanded, free bike parking complex is available at ENMAX Park, north of MacDonald Gate. The complex has room for 300 bikes and will have a security guard on site within MacDonald’s gate hours.

Visitors looking for parking can visit the online culture and entertainment map to find parking options. Calgary Transit is expanding the hours of many bus routes, and with 24-hour CTrain service and two express bus routes to Stampede, public transportation is another option for attendees.

The Red Line takes visitors directly to Stampede Park at the Erlton/Stampede or Victoria Park/Stampede stations.

[email protected]
Twitter: @BabychStephanie