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Show Bands Showdown: Alberta Marching Band Championships

  • McMachon Stadium - Northwest Gate Entrance Calgary, AB Canada (map)

Are you a Showband alumni who wants to stay connected and reminisce with other alumni, hear about upcoming alumni events, and be kept up-to-date on Showband news?  Connect with us on Facebook and join our email list!

We’d love to see you at Alumni Day on Tuesday, July 11th at Stampede Park! Check out our Facebook group for more details!


Look for our 50/50 volunteers and get yourself the winning ticket!

Adjudicators


Performance Order

Pre-Show with the Calgary Fiddlers

The Calgary Fiddlers are a musically gifted group of young people who love to perform and who appeal to audiences of all ages around the world. This exciting ensemble bursts on to stage to deliver high energy performances of a wide range of music from traditional folk fiddling to country, bluegrass, Celtic and even big band. Each fiddler has a rigorous training schedule that includes private and group coaching sessions on a weekly basis, in addition to performing at over 100 functions in and around the Calgary area each year, and touring internationally.


Sound of the Rockies High School Marching Band

Sound of the Rockies High School Marching Band is an extension of Our Lady of the Rockies High School Instrumental Music department and is comprised of high school aged students from Calgary, Alberta. Student’s performance experience in the band ranges from beginner to over 6 years of playing and dancing! The students, parents, and staff of Sound of the Rockies Marching Band would like to thank our hosts with their many staff and volunteers for todays show, and wish all the other bands good luck!

Sound of the Rockies High School Marching Bands 2023 summer show is titled “Inverno”. Translating into winter in Portuguese, this show celebrates the hibernal season and explores the complexities of the frozen season. Poet Christina Rossetti once penned; In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, In the bleak midwinter, long ago. This production introduces our students to the marching arts through a show that is fun to play, challenging to march and optimistic in nature as we celebrate the chance to perform together again in 2023.  Sound of the Rockies High School Marching Band hopes you enjoy “Inverno”!


Calgary Stetson Show Band

The ocean. Vast, powerful, and deeply mystical. Shipwrecks line her floors, mythical creatures hide in the depths, and storms rage, wreaking havoc on shorelines and sailors alike. Join us on the journey of a ghostly ship’s travels through black and choppy waves. The Calgary Stetson Show Band is proud to present their 2023 production: “Dark Seas

Formed in 1988, the Calgary Stetson Show Band has proudly represented Calgary, Alberta and Canada with entertaining and innovative performances for over thirty years.  The Stetson Show Band is a non-auditioned ensemble, and its members are high school students who travel from across Southern Alberta weekly to rehearse and perform with the ensemble.  The Calgary Stetson Show band is committed to providing young people with the excitement and challenge of a world class marching music ensemble. Over the years, the band has strived to develop their high standards of musicianship and performance in an atmosphere of camaraderie and fun.


Red Deer Royals

Under the direction of Michael Mann, and Drum Majors Arthur Jenkins and Ava Lorenson, the Red Deer Royals are excited to present their 2023 field show, “High Octane”.

The members of the Red Deer Royals are between the ages of 12 and 20 and come from several communities surrounding the Red Deer area. Over the past 54 years, the Royals have developed an award-winning program, entertaining crowds locally and internationally.  This summer the Royals will be travelling to Canada’s Maritimes.

In addition to being an accomplished marching band, the Royals have a strong symphonic band tradition and an outstanding colour guard.  Music performance is only part of the Royals: a strong leadership program that fosters teamwork, respect and sense of pride is also developed.


Intermission with The Band of Outriders

The Band of Outriders, under the direction of Dustin Stirling, is an energetic, forty-piece ensemble, comprised of Calgary Stampede Showband Alumni and other musicians from the Calgary area. Formed in 1991, the Band of Outriders was created to provide an opportunity to Calgary Stampede Showband Alumni to continue to showcase their talents. As Stampede ambassadors and volunteers, the Band of Outriders extend their musical version of western hospitality to local crowds and thousands of Calgary visitors, with over 50 appearances during the 10 days of the Calgary Stampede.


Calgary Round-Up Band

The Calgary Round Up Band is proud to present their 2023 field show, “Safari”! On this journey, you might witness a zebra at the watering hole, quenching its thirst to prepare for an exciting day on the African savannah; or, a tiger, growling with percussive prowess in a lush and vibrant forest in Asia. See if you can spot the brass in the grass, swaying in the wood-windy breeze, or the colorguard dancing to the rhythm of the wild, thunder rolling as the percussion drums up a storm. Rock and roar with the Calgary Round Up Band as they embark on a wild adventure through Safari, far and wide!

Known for their youthfulness, energy, and spirit the Calgary Round-Up Band is one of Canada’s oldest junior marching bands recognized by their iconic blue, black, and white uniforms. Formed in 1956 by Calgary Police Services as the Calgary Schools Safety Patrol Band, the Calgary Round-Up Band has entertained audiences from Europe to Australia and throughout North America. This July, the group will be traveling to Buckhannon, West Virginia to participate in the World Association of Marching Show Bands. Round-Up is under the direction of Heidi Haubrich, and Drum Majors, Laurel Gill and Nicholas Pantazopoulos.


Calgary Stampede Showband

The Calgary Stampede Showband is proud to present their 2023 Production of “Sonic Playground”.

Representing the Calgary Stampede is the world-renowned Calgary Stampede Showband. These 140 versatile and talented young performers are proud to preserve and celebrate our western heritage, cultures and community spirit and are known for their high level of professionalism, innovative performances, and unique visual entertainment. The Showband is designed to celebrate youth achievement in the community while delivering a world-class performing arts program for Calgary’s youth. The program fosters citizenship, artistic creation, and performance excellence that showcases Calgary and the Stampede to the world. Formed by the Calgary Stampede in 1971, the Stampede Showband makes over 200 appearances annually. In 2014, the Showband was presented with the distinguished “Sudler Shield” from the John Philip Sousa Foundation, one of the highest forms of recognition for marching band programs.


Performance Dedication

The amazing support of family and volunteers is indispensable to the Calgary Stampede Showband. Sadly this past March, our band community lost a wonderful long-time volunteer - Floyd Aberle. 

Floyd was through-and-through part of the Stampede Community. He began working at the Calgary Stampede in 1971 as foreman of the Corral. He spent 30 years working with the Stampede in various building operations - including being the first Operations Manager of the new Saddledome through the 1988 Olympics. After his retirement in 2005, Floyd was quickly approached by several Stampede Volunteer Committees and spent the next 17 years as a volunteer with the Western Showcase, Kids’ Day Breakfast, and the Stampede Band Committee.

Although Floyd never had a child in the Showband, he joined the Band Committee and helped with loading trucks, driving trucks, and building props and travel cases used for the band’s international trips to Japan and Brazil. He had great admiration and respect for all the members of the Showband, for their work ethic, dedication, and talent.

Floyd remained engaged and active on three committees before he passed. Volunteers from these committees came together to raise funds towards the Sam Centre through the Calgary Stampede Foundation, with a vision to dedicate a bench in his memory. They are continuing to work towards their end fundraising goal of $10,000 and are still seeking donations to make this bench a reality. This bench will be a gathering place for everyone who knew Floyd, marking Floyd’s legacy towards the Stampede. Click Here to contribute to the bench in Floyd’s memory.

The Stampede Showband and the event organizers would like to dedicate today’s show to Floyd, to recognize the unwavering support to the generations of performing youth during his life.


Future Events

  • July 7, 2023 - Calgary Stampede Parade

  • July 7 - 16, 2023 - Saddledome Steps Show

    • Daily at 1:30 pm and 8:30 pm

  • World Association of Marching Show Bands Championships

    • Buckhannon, West Virginia

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May 27

Music 'N Motion 2023

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July 6

Showband on the Steps