In 50 days, the greatest out door show on earth will commence. Turning 100 years old only happens once, so get ready for the best Calgary Stampede yet!!

This year has gone by so fast and before we know it, July will be here and Stampede spirit will be filling the air. Actually, Stampede spirit is already flowing through the city come to think of it! The Royalty girls and I have been spending lots of time in the community spreading cheer and getting people excited. Last weekend was the second of four “4 Corners” events in the city. Tons of Stampede volunteers and their committees put on a big pancake breakfast, as well as all kinds of activities for everyone! From line dancing, milking cows and throwing a lariat, to checking out other community events and resources, this event brings Stampede spirit to all “4 corners” of the city! The weather last week was picture perfect compared to the week before in the snow! But Rain, snow or shine, the girls and I are always having fun and love being a part of the Stampede Centennial celebrations.

Last weekend was also exciting for the girls and I because we were honored to attend a banquet for the Calgary Aquabelles Synchronized Swim Club at the Calgary Zoo! The Aquabelles hosted other swim clubs from all over Canada. There were also two very special guests, Marie-Pier Boudreau-Gagnon, and Elise Marcotte, Canadian Senior National Team and duet members for synchronized swimming. These two ladies will be representing Canada in the London 2012 Olympics this summer. It was an amazing and inspiring moment when we met Marie and Elise. As an athlete myself, I was so inspired and star struck at the same time. I respect and recognize the lifelong commitment they have made to their sport and I wish them the best of luck in London this summer! I can only imagine how it felt for the girls at the banquet to meet their Olympic heroes! It was a great night of food, mingling, autographing cowboy hats and even line dancing!!

Upon leaving the banquet, there was even a surprise for Candice waiting for her outside. Peacocks tend to roam free at the zoo… and they wanted to make friends with Jessica and I, but Candice has a small vendetta against birds, to say the least!!

With only 50 days to go, it makes me look back on this year and think about all the fun we have had, the places we have traveled, the people we have met, and the spirit we have spread. I am so thankful that I have gotten the opportunity to be an ambassador for Calgary and the Calgary Stampede this year. We have spread the word from Vancouver to Anaheim, to Berlin and back, and soon to Washington D.C in June. So many great memories and so much more to come. Get ready Calgary, Canada and the World, 50 more days!!!!

If you’re interested in history, art, Stampede or all of these things, then you’ll want to check out the new installation coming soon to the Glenbow.  “Charlie Russell and the First Calgary Stampede” runs from June 2 – July 29, 2012.

It’s only fitting that there’s an exhibition of his paintings during the centennial celebration, as this “Famous Cowboy Artist’s” Special Exhibition of 20 paintings was a huge draw at the first ever Calgary Stampede.

The Glenbow has managed to almost fully recreate his 1912 exhibition and will have 18 out of the 20 paintings on display.

Russell, known for his stunning western landscapes and portrayals of First Nations, cowboys and outlaws, has provided us with an important visual history of what life was like in the west.

Born in St. Louis, Missouri in 1864, he moved to Montana at the age of 16 where he spent most of his life until his passing in 1926.  It is said that he lived with the Blood Indians of the Blackfeet Nation for a period of time in the late 1880’s, which explains why he was able to portray them so authentically.

The Glenbow is also a hosting a number of other great events in the coming months that will celebrate our western heritage and values including “Weekend at the Museum: Go West!” on June 23 & 24, The “Walrus Glenbow Debate -  Calgary’s Cowboy Culture: Living Legacy or Just History?” on June 7, as well as “Cash and Conviction: The Big Four and the First Calgary Stampede” on Thursday, June 28, where their Senior Curator of Cultural history, Lorain Lounsberry, goes behind the scenes in Glenbow’s extensive cultural history collections to tell the tale of the four successful ranchers and business men that each guaranteed $25,000 so that Guy Weadick could produce the first Calgary Stampede in 1912.

More information can be found on their website at www.glenbow.org.

The Calgary Stampede and Indian Events committee is now accepting applications for the 2013 Stampede Indian Princess Pageant. This invitation is extended to all eligible Treaty 7 First Nation young women not less than 18 years of age and not more than 25 years of age as of September 13, 2012.

Full conditions of entry are available on the application. Applications are available at Indian Events office, Calgary Stampede Headquarters or via email at indianprincess@calgarystampede.com

DEADLINE FOR ENTRY IS AUGUST 24, 2012 at 4:30pm

Until this year, I’ve never known how to really slow down and take time to relax. I love being busy, helping people, doing anything I can to keep me from sitting on the couch. But as I drove home this morning from crossfit, I couldn’t believe that I didn’t even realize how beautiful it is today outside. When I got home I fed the animals, made breakfast, and now I am currently sitting outside enjoying my coffee. To the trio next year, take moments like these and cherish them. It makes you love what you get to for Calgary even more and it gives you time to realize how special it is to be part of something so much bigger than we realize. Remember to breathe

Leading the charge this week at Stampede Park is Nickelback as they hit Calgary on their first North American tour in two years!

Details on that and more here:

• CHA Canada 2012 Spring Trade Exhibition for Quilting, Sewing & Fibre:  The Craft & Hobby Association of Canada will be hosting their spring trade exhibition in Calgary this week.  Open to anyone involved in the sewing, fashion, home décor and quilting industries, including fibre for knitting, crochet and mixed media, this industry event takes place May 14 and 15 in the BMO Centre, Palomino.  For more information, see here.
• Nickelback:  Juno award-winning rock band Nickelback is back on tour and they’re stopping in Calgary this week. Featuring special guests Bush, Seether and My Darkest Days, it all takes place on Wednesday, May 16 at 6 p.m. at the Scotiabank Saddledome.  Tickets for the concert are available through Ticketmaster.

Only 52 days to go until the Calgary Stampede’s centennial!  With festivities and other celebrations happening all over the place throughout the year to help celebrate 100 years of the Calgary Stampede, make sure to sign up to become a Stampede Insider for first-access to exclusive news, contests and other insider information, and be sure to keep an eye on our official Twitter account at @calgarystampede and our official Facebook fan page for giveaways, special announcements, and more! Finally, visit our website and continue to tune into the official Stampede Blog to learn more about all of the things happening here on Park and beyond!

This is a shout out to… my mama, aka the provider, the caregiver, the hug-giver, the mom-person.

Thank you for everything you do, this year is amazing but without you and dad I would not be able to do this. Even down to the little things of helping me put my sheets on my bed when I get in late from events and I’m so tired I’m walking around with my eyes closed. Or taking care of my horse, I hope she still loves me!!

But no matter what I will always love you and I am excited to share this year with you

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!

When Calgary was chosen along side the Niagara region to be the cultural capital of Canada, it brought a new sense of empowerment to our home. With all the celebrations going on in the City this year, I am proud to say that I am from Calgary and this is what we represent; western heritage and values with a sweet artsy twist. Calgary has a vibrant art scene that we can see growing each day, and even within the Calgary Stampede, the growth of youth in the arts just goes to show how much people are willing to help others portray their passions. Together we dance.

An example of this would be my brother Thomas. The girls hear me talk about him and his passion for film all the time! Growing up, most kids love watching Disney movies, or cartoons like Bugs Bunny and Tweetie – I would watch Cinderella, he would watch Ghostbusters. I would be going to volleyball practice, and he would be at home studying the work of many talented directors and artists while listening to the most up and coming musicians, finding the perfect song for the opening scene of his next great idea. Together we create.

Having the opportunity this year to represent the “greatest outdoor show on earth” as ambassadors means the world to me and my stampede sisters, Princess Jessica, Princess Dani and Indian Princess Amelia Crowshoe. Having a wide demographic of culture in our city, each of us have something to bring to the table, whether it is views from the western way of life, or from the artsy belt-line of Calgary. I asked Amelia what her thoughts were on this and she stated that, “It’s a great step towards embracing Calgary’s cultural diversity.” Amelia not only represents the Calgary Stampede but all of Treaty 7 and their involvement for the past 100 years, sharing their history and culture with us. Being able to take part in the unique ritual of putting on our best western dress with Calgary this summer will make it one for the history books. Together we dress.

The Calgary Stampede, along with Calgary Parks and Recreation, The Calgary Public Library, The Pumphouse Theaters and the Theatre Junction GRAND are having celebrations for 100 years of success, adventures and growth within the city. Though a 100 years seems like a long time, we are still a young city and with youth comes fresh ideas. Fresh like the culinary genius at places like Rouge in Inglewood. We at the Calgary Stampede share close history with them since it was the house of one of the big 4, A.E. Cross, built in 1891. Together we dine.

Calgary 2012, you have done a fabulous job encouraging our community to embrace a strong sense of identity within our city and have given many Calgarians reasons to feel empowered by their cultural background. This will have an impact on not only the surrounding areas of Southern Alberta, but our country on a national level, giving us reason to show how special Calgary’s diversity really is. This gives us all the more reason to come together and celebrate! A city that rides together, stays together. Thank you and we are excited to see everyone in July at our celebration of 100 years of being “Greatest Together”.

2012 is a milestone year here in Calgary as it marks the centennial year of many organizations around town, including the Calgary Public Library, City of Calgary Recreation, and yes, the Calgary Stampede.  As such, our city has also been designated the Cultural Capital of Canada, and last night, the folks over at Calgary 2012 threw a big bash in the BMO Centre to celebrate!

Entitled the Sweet City Opening Celebration, named after the 2012 theme song for this year, Sweet City Woman by the classic Canadian (and Calgarian!) rock band The Stampeders, the entire city was invited to attend a free concert and party to help kick things off.

Many groups from all over representing a wide variety of culture were invited to perform and participate, giving Calgarians a taste of the diverse cultural makeup of this city.  Performers included luchadors, performance artists, hip-hop dancers, burlesque troops and so much more.  Mayor Nenshi and Premier Redford were in attendance, and our very own Stampede Royalty were on hand to participate as well.  The headlining act:  A full musical set (with encore!) from none other than The Stampeders themselves.

As a Stampede volunteer and a Calgary 2012 Cultural Ambassador myself, I have to say that 2012 is going to be a BIG year, not just for the Stampede, but for Calgary as well.  We truly are Greatest Together, and if you’d like to learn more about what 2012 has in store for all of Calgary, stay tuned to Calgary 2012 where you can find out everything there is to know about how we’ll be celebrating all aspects of culture in our great city throughout the year.

The Calgary Stampede is an organization that operates year-round, and not just 10 days out of the year.

Throughout the year, you can find a Stampede presence at a variety of community and private events, festivals and more, not just in Calgary, but within the province and even outside of it.  Our organization throws many events for the public on our own (for example, the 100 Day Launch Event last March 29 at Olympic Plaza and the Four Corners – presented by BURNCO events happening in the coming weeks in various quadrants of the city), but we also take requests from various groups in the community who would like a Stampede presence at their event to help enhance it.

Today, Stampede volunteers were at the Shaw Campus in NE Calgary helping them pull off their own Stampede breakfast helping their employees celebrate the end of their Fill the Food Banks campaign, a part of their nation-wide Together is Amazing initiative.  As of May 4, Shaw’s managed to collect 718,000 pounds of food and $339,000 to feed the hungry nation-wide.

To celebrate Calgary’s part in the success, employees were able to partake in an old-fashioned Stampede breakfast complete with pancakes and sausage with a small donation to their charity of choice, the Calgary Veteran’s Food Bank.

Here are some more pictures from the event:

If you’d like to request a Stampede presence at your event, it’s very easy.  Simply fill out this form with the details of your event (for example, date, location and description), and the Stampede assets you’d like to appear.  You can book appearances by the Stampede Queen and Princesses, Indian Princess or Harry the Horse, or you can request volunteers from committees like Downtown Attractions or Promotion to enhance your event with various resources.  While we do try to accommodate as many requests as we can, we also get a lot so the earlier you can get your request in, the better!

And if you’re looking for our next BIG Stampede public community event, you need to check out the Four Corners – presented by BURNCO event happening tomorrow (Saturday, May 12) at the South Fish Creek Recreation Complex at 100 333 Shawville Blvd S.E.  Running from 9 a.m. to noon, there’ll be pancake breakfasts, demonstrations, special activities and more.  With an old-time community fair and interactive games for the kids, it’s like a mini-Stampede festival in your backyard!

At times I can be easily inspired by the most random things ever, whether it be a weird newspaper clipping, or a youtube video, doesn’t matter! This blog was inspired by Jimmy Fallon, only my favorite late night show!!!

On his show, they do an act called shout out, and at times it can be so ridiculous, but mine isn’t going to be to crazy…

I want to give a shout out to..

Alix Williams aka. Lixie chick. For being as crazy as me and my lovely ladies: Dani (Bam Bam), Jessica (Jessamaca) and Amelia (Amelio)

I want to give a shout out to..

Whoever thought of the idea of having moustache photos. My life seems more complete with them.

Last one… I want to give a shout out to Mike Casey aka Prez. Know matter what weird thing he seems to catch us doing or saying, he will still stand by us, even in the snow.

All this talk about the new food coming to midway is definitely exciting. Looking back on the year at the Young Canadians, I can see everything we were taught about nutrition is going to be difficult to remember when surrounded by all this delicious food. Our nutritionists Robyn and Carey know a lot about food, and don’t hesitate to educate my fellow Young Canadian colleagues and our parents about what we should and should not be putting in our bodies. We learn about what we should be looking for on food labels, how to make effective meal schedules, the importance of water, and so many more things that we should keep in mind when we are shopping to fuel our bodies. This is definitely an amazing perk for us to be at our best physcially and in what we eat – but seriously Stampede is coming and who wouldn’t want to try some deep fried kool-aid and we all know that Jack Daniels fudge does sound delicious.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE NEW FOOD ON MIDWAY

On May 9, 2012 at Olympic Plaza, two hundred contestants picked up cowboy hats simultaneously for their chance to win a huge Calgary Stampede prize pack! The contest also took place in Vancouver and Toronto. Here are some photos from the event.

The Stampede Royalty and I have way too much fun. Everywhere we go, we seem to be laughing, giggling or breaking out into song, even when it is snowing outside (like last weekend)! We have been blessed with so many fun Stampede events lately, and we are so excited so be a part of all the upcoming Centennial Stampede festivities! No matter where we go or what we are doing, we always manage to have more fun then expected!

This picture above is from our sponsor visit at Bar T5 Trailer Sales. We spent the afternoon there with the horses a few weeks ago and had so much fun! We are so thankful that BarT5 sponsors us so that we can haul our boys around in style!

Last weekend was the first 4 Corners Centennial event! It was snowing like crazy but we still managed to  eat pancakes have tons of fun! The festivities were relocated inside the the brand new Genesis Wellness Center were there were Stampede displays as well as other community displays and demonstartions taking place.

Below is a photo of the Royalty and I posing as  mannequins at the Lammle’s in Chinook mall on the weekend! We were there for autograph signing for our sponsor, Montana Silversmiths!

The girls and I are having the time of our lives!! We count down every day to Stampede and we embrace every moment we have together represending the Calgary Stampede, and have fun while we are doing it!

For the second annual Ultimate Intern contest, a team of two “Ultimate Stampede Interns” will experience The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth like never before. Not only will the interns receive a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to take part in exclusive and unique experiences at the Centennial Stampede, they will literally live on Park for the full 10 days!  The interns will video stream, tweet and blog their experiences on Facebook, twitter, CS blog and YouTube.

If you want to become the Ultimate Intern team, grab a friend, submit your 60 second video and tell us why your duo deserves the ultimate internship!   

Submission deadline has been extended to Sunday, May 13, 2012, so get those cameras rolling!  Fan voting will be from May 14 – 22, 2012 and the Ultimate Stampede Interns will be chosen  for the greatest 10-day experience on Wednesday, May 30, 2012.

The prize package includes:
•Trailer accommodations located on Stampede Park

•Backstage and exclusive access to unique Stampede experiences

•Full 24-hour access to Stampede Park for the entire 10 days

•Two iphones

•$1,000 CASH

•$100 Gift Card to the Stampede Store PER INTERN!

•VIP Nashville North night

•Rodeo tickets  

•$50 Midway Card for rides for each intern

•$500 in food and beverage vouchers

•Four gate admission passes (which can be used for family or friends) for each intern

Learn more and enter your submission here:

www.calgarystampede.com/ultimateintern

This week features an assortment of entertainment at Stampede Park as Van Halen, The Black Keys and Stars on Ice all make their return to Calgary.  Plus, help ring in Calgary’s year as the Cultural Capital of Canada with Calgary 2012′s Sweet City Opening Celebration!

Details on that and more here:

• Soaring:  An Indigenous Youth Career Conference:  Formerly known as Blueprint for the Future, this youth career conference is designed to attract First Nation, Métis and Inuit high school students to the wide array of potential careers available in all employment sectors.  Featuring key not and motivational speakers, career workshops and exhibitors from all sectors of industry.  Tuesday, May 8 in the BMO Centre.  Pre-registration is required.
• Van Halen:  Grammy award-winning Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Van Halen are returning to Calgary this week as part of their 2012 A Different Kind of Truth tour in support of their new album of the same name, along with special guests Kool & The Gang.  Wednesday, May 9 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.  Tickets for the concert are available through Ticketmaster.
• Calgary 2012 Sweet City Opening Celebration:  Every momentous movement deserves to be launched in style! Help kick-off a full year of cultural activity with the wildest party of the year. Themes are Looking Back, Calgary Now, Looking Forward – and EVERYONE IS INVITED. Featured guests include The Stampeders performing the Cultural Capital theme song, SWEET CITY WOMAN, dozens of surprise guests, activities and more.  Friday, May 11 in the BMO Centre.  Tickets are sold out, but some may be released closer to the event.  Make sure to add yourself to the waiting list on Eventbrite.
• Funny Money with James Cunnigham:  Funny Money is North America’s #1 FUN-ancial lecture.  Designed to educate and entertain, this program helps people to learn the basics of personal finances using comedy, multimedia and audience participation.  Featuring comedian James Cunningham.  Thursday, May 10 in the Boyce Theatre.
• The Black Keys:  American Grammy-award winning rock duo The Black Keys are back on tour to promote their new album El Camino and they’ll be performing in Calgary this week along with special guests Arctic Monkeys.  Friday, May 11 at 8 p.m. in the Saddledome.  Tickets for the concert are available through Ticketmaster.
• Stars on Ice:  The world’s premier figure skating tour returns with an ensemble cast of Olympic, World and National Champions.  This year’s Love ‘n’ Life tour features four-time figure skating World Champion Kurt Browning as he brings his directing talents to the tour for the first time.  The magic takes place on Sunday, May 13 at 4 p.m. at the Saddledome.  Tickets for the show are available through Ticketmaster.

Only 61 days to go until the Calgary Stampede’s centennial!  With festivities and other celebrations happening all over the place throughout the year to help celebrate 100 years of the Calgary Stampede, make sure to sign up to become a Stampede Insider for first-access to exclusive news, contests and other insider information, and be sure to keep an eye on our official Twitter account at @calgarystampede and our official Facebook fan page for giveaways, special announcements, and more! Finally, visit our website and continue to tune into the official Stampede Blog to learn more about all of the things happening here on Park and beyond!

And don’t forget to get your entry in to become 2012′s Calgary Stampede Ultimate Intern!  You (and a friend) can win a prize package valued at more than $3,000, which includes 24 hour access and accommodation on Stampede Park during the Calgary Stampede in July, backstage and exclusive access to many unique experiences on Park and more!  It’s an awesome prize and a once-in-a-lifetime experience.  Deadline’s coming up fast though; All entries must be received by May 13, 2012.

Finally, make sure you check out this week’s Four Corners – presented by BURNCO event happening on Saturday, May 12.  This week, it’s the SE’s turn as we head to the South Fish Creek Recreation Complex at 100 333 Shawville Blvd S.E.  Running from 9 a.m. to noon, there’ll be pancake breakfasts, demonstrations, special activities and more.  With an old-time community fair and interactive games for the kids, it’s like a mini-Stampede festival in your backyard!