Successful Stampede a pandemic blueprint

It rustled up half the usual attendance, but the 2021 edition of the Calgary Stampede was a galloping success that shows the way for other major events emerging from the pandemic, exhibition officials said Sunday.

With one day remaining in the annual western bash, final attendance figures weren’t released but its organizers said the 10-day affair attracted about 50,000 people a day, just as predicted.

Visitor satisfaction levels and a successful approach to screening for COVID-19 at the popular Nashville North music venue are a beacon to organizers of other major events, said Stampede president Steve McDonough.

“Throughout our 109-year history, we have been a trailblazer but never more than this year,” said McDonough. “This year, our community celebration was a first step to the return to live events for this city and this country and we are proud to lead the way.

“There is light after the darkness of the past 16 months.”

With the number of visitors during recent, well-attended years of the Stampede reaching about 1.25 million, a little more than 600,000 people are expected to have entered the grounds in 2021 once the event ends Sunday.

In 2019, the last time the Stampede was held before being suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic, 1,275,465 people passed through the gates, a figure only smaller than the 2012 centennial edition that attracted 1,409,871 people.