Closing out the 2025 Calgary Stampede with high hopes for the future

Photo of Calgary Stampede CEO Joel Cowley outside the Sam Centre sharing numbers from the 2025 Calgary Stampede / Photo by Keith Driver

Another year is in the books, as the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth wraps up on Sunday, July 13.

Supported by three thousand volunteers and over a thousand employees, the Calgary Stampede has set new records, and the latest events have made it a sign of what is to come.

On Saturday, July 12, the first day of the Stampede Powwow saw well over 800 dancers and drummers with 109,000 digital streams through Powwows.com.

The Rodeo saw, for the first time, taking centre stage, Women’s Breakaway Roping added for the first time, saw new records set, adding thrill to the Grandstand.

According to Stampede officials, the biggest draws to this year’s Stampede have been all the events at the GMC Grandstand, including Chuckwagon and Relay races.

Outside the Grandstand, the two biggest draws have been the Dog Bowl Show and Elbow River Camp, showcasing the First Nation cultures of Treaty 7.

Calgary Stampede CEO Joel Cowley says that by providing a variety of activities and events, they want to make the Stampede an easy decision for locals and visitors.

While the July 8 incident has Stampede goers concerned about safety going into next year, Stampede Officials stated that their security measures will be updated once the Calgary Police Service concludes its investigation is concluded as more information on how the weapons used got into Stampede Park will be revealed.

Music is one of the biggest highlights of Stampede with premier stages like Nashville North and the Big Four Roadhouse offering some of music’s hottest names.

The Coca-Cola Stage saw very large crowds of four thousand people gathering on some nights. Stampede Officials say they will be looking into how to offer the best experience for everyone going into 2026.

Throughout the 10-day festival, Stampede officials have been collecting data from visitors about their experience and hope to have up-to-date statistics on Stampede’s impact on the Calgary area.