Newbie's Guide to Stampede!

Description:

Hockey fans relish 3-goal "hat-tricks", but here in Calgary they're known as "boot-tricks" thanks to Alberta Boot. Anytime a Calgary Flames scores 3 goals in a game, Alberta Boot makes them a custom pair of cowboy boots. That's what they're known for. While you won't find a lot of 'standard cowboy boots' on the shelves, you'll be hard pressed to find anywhere else that sells the same quality of custom made boots. They are also known for making police boots, for the RCMP as well as other North American police forces. If you want to show off some personal flair, or you just want some really good quality boots, Alberta Boot is the place to shop!

Description:

The Lammle family is legendary in Calgary. Would you believe that they not only run one of the most successful retail businesses in Western Canada, but they also run a huge llama farm? Every Calgarian is familiar with the retail business, especially the commercial jingle, L-A-double M-L-E-S. In 2010, Lammle's Western Wear & Tack won a CCMA award for best retail. It has been supplying cowboy clothing, boots and hats for years, and it's been rapidly expanding, opening shops all across Calgary and the rest of Alberta and BC. Or, if you want, you can buy saddles and other western related necessities. 

Our Local Expert Says:

The biggest event of the year, the Calgary Stampede is an experience you won’t get anywhere else. One of the largest outdoor shows on earth, book your hotel, flights and event tickets early.

Description:

The Calgary Stampede is definitely the event of the year in Calgary. The city is consumed by Stampede for 10 days, and everywhere you go you'll see people dressed in Western gear. If you are coming to Stampede for the first time, you must see the Rodeo, or the evening show (Chuckwagon races, a musical show and fireworks). You can buy last-minute rush seating, or high-end premium seating to view the events. If you are interested in the nightlife of Stampede, the best place to party is Nashville North, a tent on Stampede grounds with live music. However, line-ups start early and can get very long. Other bars downtown infamous for Stampede parties are Cowboys, Coyotes and Ranchmans, but any bar downtown will do.

Description:

Most Calgarians only "go cowboy" for the two weeks surrounding the annual Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, but western culture is still deeply ingrained in the city and region. Buzzards Cowboy Cuisine is decorated with barn wood, barbed wire, western oil paintings and prairie antiques. A moderately priced menu offers buffalo steaks, Buckaroo Beans and fried bull calf testicles, more delicately known as prairie oysters. Burgers come in four varieties: beef, buffalo, chicken and veggie. There's an English pub to the back offering a myriad of brews from around the world.

Description:

Consistently voted among the top country bars in the country, this south Calgary institution has been packing people in for generations, particularly during the wild annual Calgary Stampede. While other bars purport to be country, this is the real deal, with strapping young men pulling in by truck at night from the ranches that litter the land surrounding Calgary. The rodeo crowd also hangs out here when in town. There's live music in the dance hall section and a DJ in the bar up front, as well as on the outdoor patio. The attached restaurant serves steaks and burgers.

Our Local Expert Says:

This hotel has a great location - just down the block from the convention center, Calgary Tower, shopping and Stephen Ave. Fairmont quality is always top notch. And, I've always enjoyed the 'train museum'.

Description:

The Palliser Hotel is Calgary's oldest luxury property, dating back to 1914. Built to accommodate the westward-bound upper-class, many of whom settled in the nearby community of Mt. Royal, it stands as Calgary's Edwardian masterpiece. It is near to many of Calgary's sights, such as the Calgary Tower and Olympic Plaza. The Rimrock Dining Room is elegant, with vaulted ceilings and a giant fireplace, and the lounge bar is fit for oil tycoons, cattle barons, or anyone else who would like to enjoy the upscale atmosphere. The lobby is beautifully decorated with marble floors and columns and gleaming chandeliers. Recent renovations have given a face-lift to the upholstery.  The Palliser is in beautiful condition.