A foreboding headline from Global News stated, “Alberta separation referendum looms over Calgary Stampede.”

Is this the case?

Are folks heading to the midway, the rodeo or the party tents morosely dejected because a non-binding referendum is to be held in Alberta in October?

Global News reporters spoke to several federalist activists in the piece who naturally spoke about the unity issue, but it didn’t indicate a pall hanging over the massive annual event. They didn’t take time to speak to people on the ground. Or perhaps they did but just didn’t get the answers they wanted as a hook for the angle they were trying to create.

Politicians have been flocking to the Stampede for over a century for the purpose of self-promotion and the performative flipping of pancakes. Many are mentioning the unity issue as it is the top issue in Alberta this year. But it’s hardly some dark cloud on the horizon ruining the event.

Go Ad Free

By all measures, the Calgary Stampede has been a total success this year. The parade had record attendance with 315,000 people going downtown to watch it. Midway attendance blew through the half-million mark quickly, and the party tents and concerts have gone off without a hitch aside from some of the usual noise complaints.

Most people attending Stampede events aren’t going with politics on their mind, and it isn’t impacting their experience or “looming” over them. They are just out for a good time, and they appear to be having it. Despite the efforts of some legacy media outlets trying to attribute negative effects from the referendum to anything and everything that may happen in Alberta in the next three months.

The only thing looming over the Calgary Stampede is the traditional, cumulative hangover from a 10-day party at the greatest outdoor show on earth.