Stampede attendance on track to surpass all-time record

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The Calgary Stampede could surpass one million total visitors on Thursday, setting it on track to outstrip the previous all-time attendance record set in 2012.

With another 134,669 people coming to the grounds Wednesday, the total for the 2024 outdoor show reached 905,372 visitors.

Wednesday’s numbers were lower than Sunday’s, when 201,260 people came to the park — setting the all-time record for single-day attendance.

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Trends put Stampede on track to crack the 2023 total attendance of 1,384,632 — and potentially the all-time record of 1.4 million set in 2012.

High temperatures throughout the first half of the 10-day show have seared the grounds, but seemingly left visitors undeterred.

Wednesday’s temperature hit 34 C according to Environment Canada, which first issued a heat warning on Sunday as high temperatures were forecast through this week.

Rafael Lopes came to Calgary for the first time to visit the Stampede from Curitiba, Brazil.

He said the crowds and the Stampede have been amazing.

“The organization is amazing, the city is amazing. The (transportation) is very easy,” Lopes said.

Out of his Stampede experiences so far, he said he loves the food — especially poutine — available on the midway.

“I’m in love. My sister (said), ‘you eat poutine’ — poutine is amazing,” he said.

Lou Macpherson ventured to the Calgary Stampede for the first time from Ontario and came to the grounds multiple days, braving the heat and crowds.

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“It’s not bad, go with the flow — it’s a little hot,” she said.

Macpherson and her friend wrapped up on the grounds Thursday, with plans to tour Banff and Lake Louise.

Businesses enjoying expanded BMO Centre space

Behind the doors of the newly expanded BMO Centre, vendors are enjoying the influx of visitors.

Additional room in the building this year has allowed 257 vendors to occupy the space, an increase of 113 over last year.

Bless Tata has a booth set up for his clothing business, Bless Thee, in the BMO Market, and said there is an up and down in business and the crowds thus far.

“The community day (Sunday), the whole day was crowded. A lot of people from morning to closing time,” he said. “In terms of organization, it’s looking really spacious.”

On the weekdays, he says business is slow in the mornings, then picks up around 5 p.m. until closer to 9:30 p.m., before dying down before closing time at 11 p.m.

“So far it’s not been bad — it’s not been good, too. It’s just up and down, that’s business,” he said.

For BMO Kids Day on Wednesday, they were expecting many people, but it was average.

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“We are still hoping for the best for this last weekend; Friday, Saturday, Sunday,” said Tata.

Bernie Davidson was working a booth, Black Diamond Gallery, which creates handcrafted wood carvings — some of which are western themed.

This year is Davidson’s first at the Stampede, and he said the booth has had a good response so far.

“Being a brand-new (BMO) centre, I think there’s been a lot of traffic through here,” he said. “Maybe the heat has helped an awful lot driving people into the building.”

With 500,000 square feet of rentable space, there’s plenty of room for Stampede attendees to wander where there’s air conditioning.

swilhelm@postmedia.com

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