Nearly half of our over 200 annual performances take place during the 10 days of Calgary Stampede each July. The Showband is active every day of the Calgary Stampede, starting early in the morning and ending after dark each evening. From pancake breakfasts to roving ensembles, from the rodeo to the chuckwagon races, from the crowd-pleasing shows on the steps of the Saddledome arena to the spectacular stage of the Grandstand Show, the Showband is a staple of the Stampede experience.
Special Performances
The Calgary Stampede Showband has performed at the Olympic Games (Calgary '88), Canada's Juno Awards, Buckingham Palace, and Disneyland, in addition to local celebrations and countless community festivities wherever we travel.
Field Shows
Starting early in the calendar year, we begin preparation of our annual field show. Field shows involve the band performing music while marching intricate movements on a large field. Our colour guard uses equipment such as flags, rifles, and sabres along with dance, to interpret and enhance the music. It is a coordinated combination of music pageantry that creates a unified presentation of a musical, visual, conceptual, or abstract theme. The field show season culminates in a final competition at Showbands Live! during the Calgary Stampede each year.
Parades
In addition to participating in community parades across Southern Alberta each year, the band has led the renowned Calgary Stampede Parade since 1971. The Stampede Parade is a two-hour celebration of western heritage with about 350,000 live spectators and millions more watching the broadcast coverage. The Showband has also travelled to California to march in the Rose Bowl Parade, the only parade larger than Calgary's annual event.
Winter Performances
Winter Guard
Winter guard is an indoor colour guard activity performed to recorded music. Our colour guard performs at judged competitions each winter, showcasing precision and creativity through a choreographed dance performance.
Winter Percussion
Indoor percussion is a drumline and marching activity featuring the Showband's marching percussion section and front ensemble. It combines music, marching, and theatre to engage audiences at competitions throughout Alberta each winter.
Wind Symphony
During the winter season, the Calgary Stampede Wind Symphony prepares, rehearses, and performs a challenging, advanced concert band repertoire. From timeless classics to modern interpretive pieces, we share our music with the community at performances across Calgary, Culminating with the Alberta International Band Festival in February each year.
Winter Winds
The Winter Winds program features Stampede Showband wind members to perform a live indoor marching show. Elements of movement, dance, and music are combined to showcase the early season of creativity and showmanship of the wind members. This show participates in competitions across Alberta and encourages marching excellence at the beginning of the season.
