Calgary Stampede is a huge event attracting millions of people so you may wonder how to stay safe. Personally, I have found it to be a very safe event.
Calgary takes everyone’s safety during the Stampede seriously. You will see a lot of police officers and security everywhere including at and around C-Train stations.
But there are always the occasional idiots, it is a pick-pocket paradise, and it’s a huge festival in July in Calgary.
So you need to stay a little street-smart, and that includes taking care of yourself. After attending the Stampede a few times on my own, these are my top tips on how to stay healthy and safe.
Drink Plenty of Water
In case you’ve missed the memo, Calgary in July gets hot. So Stampede Park can be a sweatbox, especially with so many people.
Between the heat, and doing so much walking to get around the park, you will get dehydrated very easily. So drink plenty of water. Bottles of water will cost you $3-$5 roughly.
If you are on a budget, just bring a refillable water bottle with you to the park. There are lots of water stations around Stampede park.
Also, drink water after every alcoholic beverage to stay properly hydrated throughout the day. It will also massively reduce your morning-after hangover if you drink lots of water.
Don’t Forget The Sunscreen
Speaking of the heat, the sun is out! Even on a cloudy day, you can easily get burnt at Stampede. I’ve got burnt many times. Just keep a small bottle of sunscreen in your bag and re-apply during the day.
Cowboy hats are also great to help protect you from the sun.
Take Breaks In shaded & Indoor Areas
The heat in the park can get a bit much. Getting heat exhaustion or heat stroke is generally the biggest health risk for people at Stampede. So on top of drinking loads, take breaks out of the sun to cool down in shaded and indoor areas.
There is just as much to see and do indoors as there is outdoors. There are so many shows, events and activities in buildings like the Nutrien Western Event Centre and BMO Centre so there is no reason to be constantly in the heat.
That said, if you notice any signs of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, promptly go to the nearest medical tent or health centre. Don’t wait until you are practically passing out before you go and get medical assistance.
Wear Lightweight, Breathable Clothing
In the heat, you’ll be way more comfortable if you opt for lightweight breathable clothing. Choose items that you can layer easily for any moments when the temperature drops or it starts raining.
For layers, opt for things that you can easily tie around your waist or the handle of your bag, like a denim shirt, denim jacket or thin summer cardigan.
Break in the cowboy boots
Do not, I repeat do not, go to Stampede in brand new cowboots. Your feet will be a mess very quickly. Get your boots as far in advance of Stampede as you can manage so you have a decent amount of time to get them feeling comfy.
The same rule applies if you have previously worn boots and get them re-soled and re-heeled. You will need to break them in again. This is coming from personal experience, after I got my boots re-soled and heeled, only to find that they were not comfy like they used to be. My feet were not happy with them, so I’ve had to quickly re-break them in before Stampede starts. My advice; factor in additional time between getting your boots back and Stampede to wear them in a bit.
Quick Tips On Breaking In Cowboy Boots:
- Put your boots on first thing in the morning before your feet expand.
- Wear your boots around the house. Try wearing them with either thick or two pairs of socks as it will help to force the leather to stretch.
- Walk in your boots for at least 30-60 minutes at a time. Wearing them for longer each time will speed things up.
- Warm up the leather using a hairdryer on low heat. Keep the hairdryer several inches away from the leather though. Then while the leather is warm you can flex the boots back and forth. Put the boots on and walk around the house.
- Once you’ve done a few break-in sessions around the house, I highly recommend doing some outings in them on concrete, gravel, etc because your boots will feel different on outdoor hard surfaces than in your house. The first few times I wore mine outside the bottoms of my feet got a little messed up. So this is worth taking the time to do.
Eat Breakfast Every Day
Start your Stampede days off right with breakfast. It’s the most important meal of the day, and you need your energy for all the walking around the park.
Eat lots of pancakes
Speaking of breakfast, it’s not the healthiest of options, but pancakes are a Stampede tradition. There will be free pancake breakfasts happening all over the city. You can find a list of them on the Calgary Stampede Caravan Committee website.
Ration Your Daily Fairground Food
As delicious as the Midway food is, it is also calorific with a distinct lack of any fruit or veggies. So to stay healthy, and on top form to enjoy the Stampede to the full, balance out the midway food with some healthier meals and snacks.
For example, you could have a healthy breakfast and dinner, and then have midway food for your lunch and treats. Or you could do breakfast and dinner as midway food (and/or pancakes) and have a healthier lunch. Then just limit your treats to one or two a day.
Wondering what food will be on offer? Stampede is known for offering weird and wonderful food combinations. This year the stampede is featuring over 50 new foods and drinks for you to choose from.
Bring Some Healthy Snacks
As tempting as it is to just eat lots of ice cream, deep fried and sweet treats every day, you will feel rubbish after a while. Avoid going off the rails completely, especially if you are watching your weight, by having healthy snacks in your bag.
For instance, if you haven’t had any fruit or veg, just stick an apple or banana in your bag. Other great snacks are things like dried fruit and/or nuts which won’t take up much space in your bag.
Share The Fairground Treats
If you are at Stampede with other people, share some of the high-calorie Midway treats with others. It will allow you to try more of the weird and wonderful Stampede eats while reducing the serving sizes.
If you go to the Stampede on your own, like I usually do, just decide beforehand how much you are going to eat and then leave the rest on your plate.
You can also spread some treats out throughout the day. Things like some of the deep-fried sweet treats and mini donuts can easily be split into 2 or 3 portions. This is my favourite hack for eating fairground food on my own. You get to have treats without feeling deprived but it reduces how many treats you have.
The portion sizes can also be pretty big. So it will stop you from eating any overly large servings of anything.
Donโt forget Pepto & Painkillers
All the fairground food especially those deep-fried foods can cause major indigestion, and/or an unhappy stomach which is not a good time. So just keep some Pepto Bismol in your bag.
Then if you are planning to have some drinks in the tents, you will be glad you have some painkillers handy if you get a raging hangover headache the next day.
Have A Rough Plan For Stampede Activities
Stampede doesn’t need to be perfectly planned out. But having a rough plan will help you to have some vague resemblance of a schedule. That way you won’t miss anything that you want to do.
It will also mean that if you are at Stampede for a few days you can spread activities out. For example, if you want to do some pancake breakfasts you can stagger them and have healthier breakfasts on the other days.
Without any plan at all, you may find yourself getting overwhelmed, and struggling to fit everything in. Rushing around and feeling stressed is not fun and it’s not great for your health especially in the heat.
There is a Calgary Stampede app that I highly recommend taking the time to download and use. It provides the daily schedule of everything happening and where. Plus it also allows you to create your own schedule. Download the app here.
Give Friends Your Rough Plans
If you are going to the Stampede on your own, sharing your rough plans with friends or family. It doesnโt need to be your full itinerary.
Most things will happen on Stampede Park so just give them rough times that you will be on Park. Then if there are times that you will be at different locations like Cowboys Mysic Festival or Ranchmans just let them know rough timings.
Keep Your Phone Fully Charged
If you only pay attention to one thing in this blog post, this is the one. By far the most important thing to do is keep your phone fully charged. Regardless of whether you are at Stampede on your own or in a group, having a working phone is an absolute must. The last thing you want, especially at night is to have a dead phone. So go to the park with a fully charged phone and a fully charged portable phone charger every day. You will be glad you did.
Locate the emergency exits
You will be going in and out of buildings on Stampede Park, party tents, and bars during Stampede. There will be large crowds everywhere. So, I recommend just checking where the emergency exits are just in case anything happens.
Donโt carry large amounts of cash
Having a small amount of cash is always handy because some of the smaller vendors may not take cards. Don’t carry any large amounts though. It’s just not worth the risk, and it’s unnecessary. Keep any money you do bring as close to you as possible. Put it either on your body (like an inside pocket), or in a crossbody bag. Do not put it in a purse or backpack where it could easily be stolen.
Keep Your Belongings Close
Naturally, pick-pockets LOVE Stampede. because if you put valuables in your backpack or back pocket you will not feel it if they take it. That’s why I highly recommend cross-body bags because it makes it easier to keep your valuables close to your body. You can also keep a close on all your stuff this way too. Make it as difficult as possible for anyone to steal your belongings.
Share Your Location With Friends
If you are at Stampede on your own, share your location with friends. It is just a safety measure so that you have at least 1 or 2 people who always know where you are. If nothing else, it will just give you and your loved ones some peace of mind.
When you are in a group, you will find it much easier to stay together or find each other in Stampede Park if you share your locations.
If you feel unsafe, report it
If you come across anyone or anything that makes you feel unsafe or just seems suspicious, report it. to either Stampede Security staff who are all over the park, in the buildings, and Nashville North, guest services or a police officer.
Pace Your Drinking
It is really easy to get drunk quickly at Stampede. The likelihood of having something stolen, getting your drink tampered with or being injured by some drunk idiot increases as you get drunk. So just pace your drinks and still be a little bit street-smart while you are partying
Drinking water in between drinks, and grabbing food from a food truck is recommended.
Watch Your Drinks
Unfortunately, there is always a possibility that your drinks will be spiked especially in the tents. I’ve heard a few stories of people getting roofied. So just be careful with your drinks. Also, if anyone you don’t know wants to buy you a drink, go with them just in case.
Don’t Let Drunk Men Do Dance Tricks With You
At Stampede, in the tents, you will encounter a lot of extremely drunk men getting totally wasted. If any try to do any tricks with you on the dance floor proceed with caution. They are usually not the amazing dancers they think they are. I’ve seen so many girls get hurt or almost dropped in the tents.
Get In The Stampede Spirit
The secret to having a great experience at the Calgary Stampede is to get into the spirit of things. Watch events, eat some treats, listen to some live music, dance the night away and talk to random strangers.
It’s totally possible to have a ton of fun, while also staying safe. You just need to use some common sense and take care of yourself at the same time.
Learn More About The Calgary Stampede
- Things You Should Know Before You Attend Calgary Stampede
- 15 Reasons Why You Should Go To Calgary Stampede
- 12 Calgary Stampede Tips To Have A Great Time
- Calgary Stampede Outfits: How To Plan What To Wear To Fit In
- A Guide To Calgary Stampedeโs Nashville North Tent
- The Ultimate Guide to Enjoying the Calgary Stampede Alone
- How To Stay Safe At Calgary Stampede
- Easy Ways To Save Money At Calgary Stampede
- Ultimate Guide To Ranchmanโs Cookhouse and Dance Hall
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Gemma Lawrence is the creator of This Brits Life. Born and raised in England, she has been living in British Columbia, Canada as a permanent resident since 2016. A solo traveler for the past 9 years, she hopes to inspire and help others to enjoy solo adventures too. As someone who has always struggled with her self-confidence and mental health, she also shares tips and inspirational stories relating to self-love, self-care, and mental health.
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