This year, more than 75 Suncor employees were selected to take part in the festivities based on their submissions about what Stampede means to them. They served as Suncor ambassadors, walking in the parade and welcoming visitors as they arrived through the gates on opening day.
For Devon, a Suncor engineering student and one of this year’s parade walkers, Stampede is a time to celebrate the best of Western culture – hard work, resilience, hospitality and pride in community – bringing people from all backgrounds together to share in what makes Calgary and Stampede season so special.
"Watching the Stampede Parade was always part of my childhood,” said Devon. “Growing up in rural Alberta, my family would get up at 3 a.m. to drive into the city for the event. It quickly became a tradition I looked forward to every year. Being part of the parade with Suncor felt like a full-circle moment, and I had so much fun helping bring the energy."
Suncor has proudly supported the Calgary Stampede for decades and, in 2023, became the presenting sponsor of the Stampede Parade and Parade to Park, which provides free admission to the grounds for the first two hours of opening day.
According to the Calgary Stampede, this year's parade featured 125 entries, attracted an estimated 315,000 spectators and saw more than 86,500 visitors enter the grounds through Parade to Park.
From the parade route to the park and throughout the 10 days of festivities, it’s moments like these that help make the Calgary Stampede, and Suncor’s role in it, The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
