The Calgary Stampede Parade is the traditional official kickoff to the 10-day event that attracts hundreds of thousands of people from Calgary and around the world. The parade has a rich, colourful history. How well do you know your Stampede Parade facts? Test your knowledge in the fun quiz below! Answers are at the bottom of this article. (And if you can’t get to this year’s parade, be sure to watch it live on CTV Calgary starting at 8:55 a.m. on July 3!) 1. How many First Nations members of Treaty 7 led the first Stampede Parade in 1912 at the request of Stampede founder Guy Weadick? 2. What is the average speed of participants along the five-kilometre parade route? 3. Who said, when she was parade marshal in 2025, “This makes me very happy! Horses are my best friends, and I spend a lot of time with horses.” 4. How many parade marshals have been to space? 5. Which actor led the parade as marshal in 2022? 6. Which marshal rode her horse, named Stormy, in the parade? 7. Olympians have often been given the honour of parade marshal. Which of these athletes has NOT led the parade? 8. Jett and Cord McCoy, who are brothers and professional rodeo cowboys, were parade marshals in 2010. What reality TV show are they most famous for? 9. In what year did Patsy Rodgers, the first-ever Calgary Stampede Queen in 1946, lead the parade as marshal? 10. How many premiers of Alberta have been parade marshals? 11. What CFL legend and former Alberta lieutenant-governor led the parade in 2005? 12. Which of these Calgary Flames representatives were named parade marshals after the Flames’ Stanley Cup final appearance in 2004? 13. Which of these CTV National News anchors was a parade marshal? 14. Which of these actors, famous for his moustache, was parade marshal in 1998? 15. Which iconic cartoon characters were co-parade marshals in 1983 & 1995? 16. Which of these dogs was named parade marshal? 17. What year did Prince (now King) Charles lead the parade as marshal? 18. How many Canadian prime ministers have been parade marshal? 19. What was Calgary fire chief James “Cappy” Smart’s Stampede claim to fame? 20. The attendance record for the Stampede Parade was set in which year? 21. How many people watched the first Stampede Parade in 1912? 22. What is the entry fee for the Stampede Parade entrants? 23. Except for marching bands, each entry in the main parade should have a float or equine component to it. 24. What year did the parade’s mascot, Harry the Horse, begin taking part in the parade? 25. You can enter Stampede Park for free after the parade, between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Answers: 1. c) 1,800 2. b) 3.8 km/h 3. a) Shania Twain 4. c) 4—Jeremy Hansen (2023), Chris Hadfield (2001 & 2013), William Shatner (2014), Eugene Cernan, Apollo 17 Space Flight Commander (1974) 5. b) Kevin Costner 6. a) Amber Marshall (2019) 7. e) Andre De Grasse 8. b) The Amazing Race 9. c) 2008 10. b) 2—Ralph Klein (1993 & 2005), Peter Lougheed (1975) 11. a) Norman Kwong 12. a) Darryl Sutter, Ken King, Robyn Regehr 13. c) Lloyd Robertson (2002) 14. a) Sam Elliot 15. b) Mickey & Minnie Mouse (Mickey also led the parade solo in 1972). Mickey and Minnie’s co-creator, Walt Disney, lead the parade in 1965. 16. c) Spuds Mackenzie (the famous Bud Light mascot was a co-marshal alongside champion chuckwagon driver Tom Glass, bronc rider Robin Burwash and Olympians Brian Orser, Robert McCall and Tracy Wilson in 1988) 17. a) 1977 18. c) 3—Pierre Trudeau (1971), Lester B. Pearson (1964), Louis St. Laurent (1950) 19. d) all of the above 20. c) 2011—The Calgary Stampede Parade in 2011 drew an estimated 425,000 spectators. This was a record attendance, partly attributed to the presence of Prince William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who attended the parade as part of their Canadian tour. 21. c) 75,000—At the inaugural 1912 parade, around 75,000 people attended, which was larger than Calgary’s entire population of 60,000 at the time. 22. c) free 23. a) True 24. a) 1985 25. a) True Scoring: 25 correct: Perfect Parader. Congratulations on your perfect score! You have probably slept overnight to stake out a parade spot at least once! 20-24 correct: Lawn Chair Ninja. You must love taking in the parade sights and sounds annually! 15-19 correct: Mini Donut Master. The parade is a big part of your summer tradition! 10-14 correct: Western Wrangler: Not bad! Watch CTV’s live coverage of the parade on July 3, starting at 8:55 a.m., to learn more parade trivia! 0-9 correct: The Confused Pedestrian: You may have only stumbled across the parade in the past. Get yourself to a Stampede breakfast to get in the spirit!
