Stampede spirit boosts attendance but Calgary economy still in recovery mode
Calgary’s economy is looking good as Stampede spirit grips Canada’s oil and gas headquarters city — but not quite as good as it was a few years ago.
The annual outdoor event set an attendance record for its parade day last Friday and cumulative attendance through Tuesday is second only to the overall record set in 2012 when the Stampede celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Similarly, sponsorship rights to the 36 chuckwagons invited to race at the Stampede raised $3.2 million last March in an auction. That was much higher than the $2.4 million in 2017, but well behind 2012’s record high of just over $4 million.
Ben Gerwing, president of a cowboy boot manufacturer in Calgary that is celebrating its 40th anniversary, said that this year started out more promising than in the past couple years but business has “tailed off” in recent weeks.