Calgary Stampede starts July 3

The Calgary Stampede made me a great lunch yesterday, so I need to remind readers that the greatest outdoor show on earth is coming up July 3 to 12. While officials promise the event will be bigger and better than ever, I’m just hoping my favorite mini-doughnut stand is in the same location as always so I don’t have to waste a lot of energy looking for it.

They have some great entertainment lined up during the show – some I’ve even heard of – including Reba McIntyre, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift and George Strait – and plenty of free shows with performers such as Terri Clark, Joe Diffie, George Fox, Emerson Drive, Johnny Reid and many more less familiar to me.

On the agricultural side, they don’t have the big livestock shows like they use too, but there is a multi-breed beef cattle display in the Stampede barns, which is a good warm up for the World Angus Forum July 13 to 16 being held at Spruce Meadows on the south side of Calgary.

The Dundee Wealth Heavy Horse Show will be running July 3 to 5 with some events accompanied by the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra. That should be neat. The 30^th World Blacksmith Competition runs July 1 to 5; there is a major sheep showcase with different events running through out the 10 days. The

All Canadian Sheep Classic features 50 breeders with 325 head of sheep, which will be competing July 9 to 13.

The popular cutting horse competition runs July 7 to 9; the United Farmers of Alberta Steer Classic runs during the show and there is a vintage tractor show and pull July 4 and 5^th.

Agrium is again sponsoring the Ag-tivity In The City, which showcases many aspects of crop and livestock production geared for an urban audience.

And of course, the world famous rodeo goes every afternoon and the chuck wagons run every evening, followed by the grandstand show.

After doing all that, take a break with a corn dog and fries and then be prepared to drop a million bucks on the midway. Come on, the kids are worth it.

Mike Holmes, Canada’s TV celebrity handyman is the grand marshal for the parade, which kicks off the whole event Friday morning July 3.

For details on the whole event go to their website at www.caglarystampede.com

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