IN PHOTOS: Calgary Stampede then versus now; how the iconic event has changed since 1912 | Globalnews.ca

Back in all its former glory, the Calgary Stampede, also known as the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, is set to bring the city to life once again this July.

After the COVID-19 pandemic forced the event’s first cancellation in 2020, and some public health precautions were taken by Stampede organizers in 2021, this year’s event will return to normal. But how will it compare to the previous 100+ years of celebrations?

“This year definitely represents a return to a pre-pandemic level of the entire Stampede,” said Cassandra Cummings, Calgary Stampede history specialist, “with all the events and attractions that guests have come to expect and enjoy.

“The 10-day event continues to grow and respond to reflect the needs and interests of the community, continuing to be a gathering place, in its original location, from the beginning.”

The start of the Stampede parade

The Stampede began in 1912 after Guy Weadick, a New Yorker who was captivated by the cowboy lifestyle, returned to Calgary with a vision to create a frontier days celebration and championship.

EL Richardson, the manager of the Calgary Exposition (which began in 1886), introduced Weadick to prominent local businessmen and promoters, who gave Weadick money and commissioned him to create “the greatest thing of its kind in the world” , according to Calgary. Stampede.

“(In 1912), the event featured a competitive rodeo and parade attended by 80,000 people, twice the population of Calgary at the time,” Cummings said. “The parade was also led by 1,800 First Nations people. And families from the Treaty 7 nations camped out in Victoria Park, forming the original Elbow River Camp, which remains an essential part of Stampede.”

Cummings noted that during that time, Stampede also offered a place where Treaty 7 participants could preserve and share their traditions, at a time when the government “was enacting cultural genocide.”

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After the inaugural event, a second Stampede was not held until 1919, after the end of World War I.

The evolution of the middle way

The Midway has been a part of the event since the beginning and always promised that the attractions within it would be “unique and extreme,” according to Cummings.

“The definition of a winger may have changed, but I think that’s something that applies as well,” he said. “There is something for everyone, and many are proven favorites.”

Cummings said a mix of old and new favorites also applies to the famous Stampede food trucks.

the rodeo continues

The rodeo is also one of the events that has been around since the beginning, Cummings said, along with the showcase and farm items.

“Many parts of the 10-day celebration are the same or have evolved from the original event,” he said. “Other events followed soon after. 1923 is the year the Exposition and Stampede were combined into one event, and it’s also the year wagon races and the first pancake breakfast first occur.”

The 2022 Calgary Stampede Parade takes place on July 8. Global Calgary is the broadcast partner of the 2022 parade, offering an Alberta-wide broadcast on Global Television beginning at 9 a.m.; as well as the Global TV app, GlobalNews.ca, the Global News YouTube channel, Global Calgary Facebook Live and Amazon Prime.

Coverage of the show will be provided by Dallas Flexhaug, Blake Lough, Leslie Horton and Jeff McArthur of Global.

For more information on this year’s event, click here.