Stampede 2016

[Calgary14]

Does anyone remember them dropping the admission price down so much in past years? $5 is a huge drop from the regular price of $18.

[nik-]

Oxford Stomp was cancelled pretty much last minute today as well because of the weather.

Been a ####ty year

[TheScorpion]

Managed to go on the one non-terrible weather day, the 10th. It's been raining pretty much non-stop ever since.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Calgary14

Does anyone remember them dropping the admission price down so much in past years? $5 is a huge drop from the regular price of $18.

In the 30+ years I've lived in Calgary, I can't remember them ever dropping the price of admission like that. They always have the promotional days where they offer free/discounted admission to certain groups at various times, but outside of that, I've never seen them drop the price during the week.

Of course, I also can't remember any year where the weather has been this bad for the entire week of Stampede.



Actually, now that I think about it, I remember one year in the early-90s where they were in danger of missing the 1 million attendance mark (after the post-Olympic tourist bump died down), so they offered a cheap/free deal on the final day to help them get over the hump.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Managed to go on the one non-terrible weather day, the 10th. It's been raining pretty much non-stop ever since.

I went Wednesday, and it was pretty good. We did bring raincoats and umbrellas, which is probably why it didn't rain at all. Though we did leave early(7:00) so it may have rained after that.

[Baron von Kriterium]

Free admission tomorrow, 1000-1200 hrs.

http://www.calgarystampede.com/stamp...al-sunday-2016

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Baron von Kriterium

Free admission tomorrow, 1000-1200 hrs.

http://www.calgarystampede.com/stamp...al-sunday-2016

The Stampede is hurting this year. They are down over 80,000 people in attendance from last year. It is a bad mix of economy and weather. It looks like it might be tough for them to crack a million people this year.

[Drummer]

Free admission and food prices slashed by 60% at some places? Wow!

[calgaryblood]

Also not helping is the Stampede still looks the same as it did in the early 90's.

Don't understand why they can't at least make it look a little modern.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

Also not helping is the Stampede still looks the same as it did in the early 90's.

Don't understand why they can't at least make it look a little modern.

It is marginally different this year with the new Indian Village and that Adventure Park. The newish Agrium building has also improved the Stampede. I think the Western Oasis centre is new this year as well with the different art exhibitions and wine garden.

Overall though, the Stampede won't be drastically different until they expand the Stampede grounds and develop the land north of the Saddledome.

[WhiteTiger]

Originally Posted by Drummer

Free admission and food prices slashed by 60% at some places? Wow!

60% off food and free admission? Man, could almost afford to go and buy a small pop there, now.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by calgaryblood

I love how the Stampede is making it seem like they're showing how much they appreciate the community by slashing admission to $5 between 5-7 pm for a second straight day.

They're desperate after attendance is down and the weather is terrible. It has nothing to do with showing appreciation to Calgary and I really wish they'd stop BSing us.

It's so cheap, it's free!

http://calgaryherald.com/news/local-...n-the-last-day

The fair’s final day will see admission free for all between 10 a.m. and noon. Half-price standing-room tickets for the rodeo finals and evening Grandstand Show will also be available on a first-come basis starting at 10 a.m.
The Stampede said the discounts are not an effort to boost flagging attendance. However, crowd numbers are down substantially from 2015 as rain and thunderstorms have lashed the grounds.
Times appeared to be difficult for food vendors as well, with many on the midway appearing to have taped over old prices with new numbers as the week wore on.

[Swarly]

Originally Posted by calgarygeologist

It is marginally different this year with the new Indian Village and that Adventure Park. The newish Agrium building has also improved the Stampede. I think the Western Oasis centre is new this year as well with the different art exhibitions and wine garden.

Overall though, the Stampede won't be drastically different until they expand the Stampede grounds and develop the land north of the Saddledome.

Thats been there 4 years now at least, I lost a sweet pair of raybans to the toilets in that area. Never Forget

[Violator]

Maybe they will rethink charging four dollars for a bottle of water.There are places inside BMO were you can fill a water bottle but that's still ridiculous

[bigtmac19]

There's a guy in the bull riding final whose last name is Dirteater!

[Amethyst]

Western Oasis isn't new, I just think most people don't know about it. I didn't, until my friend took me a few years ago.

I must have missed the food venues where prices were slashed, but I did get the free admission today. Fortunately my day started and ended early, so I was gone before the rain hit today.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by Amethyst

Western Oasis isn't new, I just think most people don't know about it. I didn't, until my friend took me a few years ago.

I must have missed the food venues where prices were slashed, but I did get the free admission today. Fortunately my day started and ended early, so I was gone before the rain hit today.

This is the first year that I heard about Western Oasis or saw it advertised/promoted so I thought it was new.

[djsFlames]

I'd go a couple times over the week like I used to if they didn't charge 8.50 for a ####ing canned drink, 4-5 bucks for a non-alcoholic drink and 10-15 bucks for small meal.

You can easily blow 60-80 bucks simply walking around trying to keep entertained and sustaining yourself to do so.

Hell, I might even go back on the rides even if the costs were something reasonable. 20-30 for a full day pass and I would be happy to go stand in lines half the day. Not for 50-60. In this economy the locals aren't going to be put up with getting gouged like that to have a simple bit of fun.

[PepsiFree]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

I'd go a couple times over the week like I used to if they didn't charge 8.50 for a ####ing canned drink, 4-5 bucks for a non-alcoholic drink and 10-15 bucks for small meal.

It's 7.50 for a beer, 4 for water/coke/whatever, and 15 will get you a fairly large meal.

Wherever you seem to go during the stampede, you're apparently getting ripped off just a little more than the rest of us.

[PepsiFree]

I had a great time this year. Wasn't bothered by the weather. The rodeo was great, the grandstand show was pretty entertaining, and everything just sort of worked out.

I think that the stampede is a lot less "worth it" if you're just going for some mini donuts and to walk around for an hour. Like the people that go to Vegas just to gamble, in a way. Go to a show, go see some rodeo, hit a ride if you want. I maybe spent only 20% of my time there wandering the grounds and it made for some good days.

Sure, the prices are jacked up a dollar or so on everything, but I often spend just as much when I hit a Flames game for 4 hours than when I hit the Stampede for 8.

Anyways. I thought it was great! Always a highlight of the year.