STAMPEDE PICKS : J U LY 1 5
SATURDAY
On the grounds: The Stampede Concert Series shifts gears with Usher & the Roots. Usher is one of the bestselling artists in music history, having sold over 75 million albums worldwide, and has picked up eight Grammy Awards. The Roots have garnered three Grammys of their own and are known to millions as the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Off the grounds: Ridden every ride on the midway? There are more rides, games and attractions just off Highway 1 west of the city at Calaway Park. Calgary’s amusement park has been entertaining families for decades with rides like The Vortex (roller-coaster), carnival games and much more amid treed and clean grounds.
Off the beaten track: The Alberta Strongman Association Strength Exhibition takes place Saturday at the Community Park South near the Stampede’s Erlton entrance. The event will feature current Canada’s Strongest Man Jean-Francois Caron.
SUNDAY
On the grounds: It’s down to the Showdown for both the Stampede Rodeo and the GMC Rangeland Derby, with competitors in bareback riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, saddle bronc, barrel racing, bull riding and chuckwagon racing charging hard for a shot at those big cheques.
Off the grounds: Along with current exhibits Shame and Prejudice: A Story of Resilience, from Indigenous artist Kent Monkman; and Romancing the Canoe, a tracing of the watercraft through Canada’s history, the Glenbow Museum focuses on Indigenous artifacts and history, as well as European arrival in Alberta. Go to Glenbow. org for more information.
Off the beaten path: The North American Sheep Shearing Challenge forces competitors to use all their skill and speed to shear a lamb. Judges look at the quality of their work and humane handling of the sheep. The event takes place at the Agrium Western Events Centre from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Stampede quote: “It’s the ropes and the reins. And the joy and the pain. And they call the thing rodeo.” - Garth Brooks