A crowd of 250,000 people is expected to descend on the downtown core on Friday morning for the official kickoff to the 102nd edition of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
The 2014 Calgary Stampede Parade is slated to begin at 9:05 a.m. at the intersection of 6 Ave. and 3 St. S.E. The five kilometre parade route will see the floats, horses, and marching bands travelling:
- Westbound along 6 Ave. (a distance of 13 blocks)
- Southbound on 10 St. S.W. (3 blocks)
- Eastbound on 9 Ave. (a distance of 13 blocks)
- The parade concludes at the intersection of 9 Ave. and 3 St. S.E.
At any given point on the route, the parade is expected to last approximately two hours.
80 per cent of seating along 6 Ave. and 9 Ave. will be available to the public for free on a first come, first serve basis. Chairs and benches will not be provided.
The Stampede Parade Committee recommends visitors:
- Arrive early to secure an optimal viewing spot along the parade route
- Use Calgary Transit, carpools or walking to travel to and from the parade route
- Prepare for the elements (bring sunscreen, broad brimmed hats, drinking water, rain gear)
- Leave pets and umbrellas at home (umbrellas may inhibit the view of other visitors)
On Stampede Parade Day, access to the downtown core will be limited between 7:30 a.m. and the conclusion of the parade.
The Calgary Stampede Parade, the second largest parade in North America trailing only the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena, California, will have 130 parade entries in 2014 including:
- 4,000 people
- 700 horses
- 14 bands (four international entries)
- 37 floats
Canadian actor and entertainer William Shatner will lead the 2014 Calgary Stampede and Calgary based speed skaters Gilmore Junio and Denny Morrison will be at his side as honorary Marshals.
The parade is the result of the efforts of the Calgary Stampede Parade Committee’s 131 volunteers who have contributed an estimated 19,000 hours of their time to the cause.
