Words cannot explain how excited I am to be a part of the Calgary Stampede again this year! And if you’ve been following the weather forecast, like myself, you already know it’s going to be a lot better than last year! But don’t worry about the 30+ temperatures the next two weeks, there’s tons of amazing food trucks with cold treats that will keep you cool throughout your stay!

I don’t even know where to start with all the jaw dropping, mouthwatering flavours that the midway has to offer. I am most excited to try the Double Bacon Mac N’ Cheese Dog, Clam Chowder Poutine, Deep Fried Jell-O, Maple Walnut Cotton Candy, Unicorn White Hot Chocolate and The Chili Lime Popcorn Shrimp Perogies! It’s a good thing there’s so much to do at The Stampede because I’m going to have to walk off all the taste testing i’ll be doing.

Since its Canada’s 150th birthday this year The Stampede has added even more musical acts to the powerful lineup! The Coca Cola stage, I believe, will be the biggest crowd pleaser of them all. Over 30 insanely talented bands/solo artists will be taking over the stage through the two weeks.

My top ten acts who I can’t wait to see are…

★ Ria Mae
★ Nelly Furtado
★ Marianas Trench
★ Alessia Cara
★ July Talk
★ Michela Sheedy
★ Jonathan Roy
★ USS
★ Theory of a Deadman
★ Sabrina Carpenter

All of these performs are so different one another, their style, sound and stage presence, I cannot wait to capture it.

Another stage that I absolutely loved last year was The Nashville North Tent. This tent is full of cold drinks and two stepping until the early morning! Over 40 entertaining acts will keep you dancing the night away, such as; The Dungarees, The Cadillac Three, Endless Summer, Cam, Doc Walker, Jess Moskaluke, The Dead South, Cold Creek County, Tristan Horncastle, Jojo Mason, Chris Buck Band and Meaghan Patrick just to name a few. One act I am particularly excited to see is Cam, I remember hearing her first song on the radio Burning House and automatically falling in love with her soft effortless voice, since then I have become a huge fan! And have you seen her hair? She has to have the most beautiful hair in all of country music.

One thing I love so much about the lineup this year is the diverse music varieties. Whether you like rock, pop, alternative, folk, country, soul, acoustic or EDM, there is something for everyone.

I have to say this year after viewing The Saddledome’s lineup I might have screamed like a little girl. After scrolling through the lineup list my heart dropped into my stomach when I saw Usher was coming as one of the main headliners. I couldn’t believe it! I remember forcing my poor father to constantly play his cds in the car when I was younger and now I finally get to see him live and singing every song… sadly dad won’t be joining. I can’t wait to see what Usher brings to the stage, I truly believe he’s going to put on a show that we won’t forget.

A couple of other events I am extremely excited to see this year are the chuckwagon races, bull riding and the incredible Transalta Grandstand show that ends the evening with fireworks lighting up the whole sky! If you enjoy fireworks, you need to make sure this is on your “must do” list because I have never seen such a spectacular light show in my life. I am filled with so much excitement and adrenaline I don’t know if i’ll be able to sleep before the kick off Stampede parade. I encourage those looking for a new experience or wanting a fun adventure to remember forever, to come on down to Calgary and experience these lifetime memories The Stampede has to offer! This city is incredible and I can’t wait to show everyone all the photographs and memories we make this year!

Photo Credit: Chris Bolin/ Calgary Stampede

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Sydney Butters

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Photographer and fan of live music that spans genres, cities, and stages!