For 10 days every July, Calgary comes alive with western hospitality and community spirit. The Calgary Stampede — a rodeo, exhibition, and festival known as “The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth” — is one of the city’s marquee events.
During Stampede, the city becomes a vibrant hub for commerce and collaboration. Local businesses frame their entrances with stacked haybales, companies host pancake breakfasts for their clients and exclamations of “yahoo!” echo through the streets.
In short, practically the whole city gets in on Stampede.
Stampede: Where Calgary does business
The event isn’t just for locals — the 100-plus year-old event attracts more than a million visitors from around the world.
Among those visitors are global business leaders, many of whom are unfamiliar with Calgary’s talent pool, innovation ecosystem and business environment. In 2025, 29 per cent of visitors to the Stampede were from outside Calgary — for many, the iconic event is a first-time introduction to the Blue Sky City.
They may not know yet what the city is capable of — and that’s where Calgary Economic Development (CED) comes in.
“The city becomes a gathering place for decision-makers, investors, site selectors and entrepreneurs,” shares Brad Parry, President and CEO, Calgary Economic Development. “Their visit is a chance to showcase Calgary and demonstrate why it’s a top location for business.”
Over the course of Stampede’s 10 days, CED hosts familiarization tours and engagements that seed strategic pathways for economic growth. By connecting companies with Calgarian talent and resources, CED turns Stampede moments into business decisions that benefit the city long-term.
“Relationships built during Stampede can become the partnerships, investments and jobs that create lasting benefits for Calgarians long after the Midway closes,” said Parry.
Economic impact goes beyond Stampede
The Calgary Stampede generates $721 million in total annual economic output for Alberta, including $664 million in Calgary. That supports hotels, restaurants, retailers, local businesses, attractions, transportation providers and workers across the visitor economy.
“The economic benefit of hosting a world-renowned event is incredible, and businesses feel it across the 10 days and well into the rest of the summer,” said Alisha Reynolds, President and CEO of Tourism Calgary.
But the impact is greater than the numbers directly spent during the festival. The connections made during Stampede carry momentum all year, translating into partnerships, investments and jobs.
In 2025, CED helped support the creation or retention of nearly 8,000 jobs and helped attract more than $1 billion in investment into the city. Through our trade programming, we supported 45 trade deals and more than $60 million in export revenue.
Those outcomes happen because Calgary is a city of talent, innovation, ambition and limitless opportunity. When given the chance to prove it — in-person, through events like the Stampede — choosing Calgary becomes an easy decision.
“The Calgary Stampede is a catalyst for connection, not only on Stampede Park, but across our city. During our annual celebration, Calgary becomes a gathering place, and you can see opportunities take shape in real time,” says Joel Cowley, Chief Executive Officer at the Calgary Stampede.
From startups to global enterprises, Calgary Economic Development helps businesses thrive in the Blue Sky City. Learn more about CED’s support services to navigate Calgary’s ecosystem, resources and real estate.