A day with Betty: at the Calgary Stampede
Put on your cowboy boots and run for the ramen donuts.
No one curates a good time like Betty; this series is about how to bring fun to every occasion. Here’s what’s worth eating, sipping, and doing.
Every July, Calgary trades suits for boots and turns into the biggest party in the country. This year it runs July 3-12.
Here’s how Betty would spend a day on the grounds, from hitting up the daily pancake breakfasts to the nightly fireworks.
The eats
Start where the locals do: a free pancake breakfast. They pop up all over the city every morning of the Stampede. Then, it’s time to experiment: the 2026 Midway dropped 65+ new items. Everyone’s talking about the polarizing $18 ramen donuts — cheese-filled donuts crusted in Indomie noodles.
Also on the dare list: a neon-blue Takis pickle pizza and a UFO-themed burger with green cheese.
The drinks
The Dunkaroo Iced Latte from Covet Sips + Sweets is nostalgia in a cup, topped with a fluffy Dunkaroo cloud. Find them on the Midway or inside the BMO Centre.
If you’re rolling with a crew and want the photo, the Big Buckin’ Lemonade from Family Squeezed Lemonade delivers: six litres of lemonade for $55, complete with a tiny cowboy hat and a bandana, made for passing around.
If you drink, the Caesar was invented right here in Calgary back in 1969, which basically makes ordering one a local rite of passage.
The sights
Wander the agriculture barns for prize-winning livestock and people-watching you can’t script, then find a rail near the track to catch the chuckwagons kicking up dust.
Save some phone battery for the end of the night; when the sun drops, the Midway becomes a wall of neon and the whole grounds glow. You’ve probably seen this on your feed before.
The culture
Between the neon and the deep-fried everything, make time to learn more about the land. At Elbow River Camp, First Nations families host visitors across 26 tipis, with artisans showing their work and traditional treats like bannock and saskatoon berry jam on offer.
Catch the Powwow and see world-class dancers and drummers, free with admission. It’s a grounding experience that’ll stick with you the longest.
The finale
Every night ends with chuckwagon races, the Grandstand Show, and fireworks over the park. Want the marquee moments? Alanis Morissette headlines the Scotiabank Saddledome on July 11, and The Beaches close out the Coca-Cola Stage on July 12. Showdown Sunday (also the 12th) is the rodeo’s championship day, with the season’s biggest money on the line.
