Riders in the arena flying the Calgary Stampede flag in 2013 photo. The 2017 edition of this huge international event starts officially today Photo Credit: Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press
Arguably Canada’s greatest entertainment event is on this week in the western city of Calgary, Alberta
The annual event ostensibly promoted as a celebration of “western” culture, features just about everything you can imagine in family entertainment.
The event is expected to attract a million visitors over its ten day span from today July 7th, to July 16th.
It begins unofficially the day before with a pancake breakfast, always attended by a vast crowd.
The huge international event features dozens of rodeo events, indeed it is one of the most important rodeo competitions in the world.
Other farming skills competitions include blacksmith and sheep shearing, baking, leather making skills, livestock penning, and many more
Of course there’s a huge midway with rides, a variety of foods from Canadian tradition, and those of the many cultures brought by immigrants, and music of all types, with a slight emphasis on country and western styles.
Topping if off, the weather for this opening day is going to be sunny and hot, indeed very hot at around 30 degrees, all the more reason to wear shady “cowboy hats” (which are always a big seller at the many boutiques throughout the grounds.
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