FLUOR ROPE SQUARE
2011 ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

Thanks to the following entertainers who joined us during
the 2011 Calgary Stampede!

ACROSS ALL BORDERS

Saturday, July 9 @ 11:05 AM

BARUCH LASKIN

SADDLE STAGE AREA FOR LITTLE COWPOKES
Friday, July 15 @ 10:30 AM

Canadian Event Industry Entertainer of the Year 2004. Each performance is a well-balanced fusion of comedy, audience participation, and hilarious improvisation. He combines wit, charisma, and a keen sense of timing to deliver a unique, fast moving comedy juggling show.

BRAD SAVILLE

SADDLE STAGE AREA FOR LITTLE COWPOKES
Monday, July 11 @ 10:30 AM

In 2003, Brad won Entertainer of the Year from the Canadian Event Industry Awards. Since 1995, Brad has made over 3500 appearances and performed shows across North America and the Caribbean. Whether in his younger days as the class clown, or today as a professional entertainer, Brad’s heart has always been in making people laugh. Brad has worked many venues including fairs, theaters and casino showrooms, corporate events, colleges, and television. Come on down because you have to see what Brad is going to attempt to pull off this year at Rope Square!

CALGARY ROUND-UP BAND
Monday, July 11 @ 10:55 AM

The Calgary Round-Up Band is Canada’s premier junior performing arts ensemble. Established by the Calgary Police Service in 1956, young adults in the Calgary area have been learning music and performance skills under the “Round-Up” name for over 50 years.
The Round-Up Band consists of 86 young musicians and dancers from grade 7 to 9. Students gain performance instruction and experiences with the Calgary Round-Up Band program, where the band allows them to develop as individuals and performers by instilling a strong sense of self-discipline, and express themselves through the art of dance and music.

The Calgary Round-Up Band has earned an international reputation through competitions and performances around the world. In the past few years, the band has won accolades across North America in British Columbia, Alberta, Quebec, Ontario, California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming. They have travelled internationally to Australia, Denmark, England, The Netherlands and Sweden. Following Stampede week this year they will be traveling to Seattle to participate in the Seattle Seafair Torchlight Parade.

CARMEN TOWNSEND
Wednesday, July 13 @ 12:00 PM

There’s a lot that the world of music has to learn about Carmen Townsend. Born and raised in Cape Breton Island on the Atlantic Coast of Canada, Townsend has been making music her whole life. Now it’s time for Townsend to take center stage and share her voice with the world. Townsend’s sound is a vast one, with stretching riffs that give birth to a fierce sonic motion.

Over time Carmen has drawn influences from musical greats such as Nirvana, Neil Young and Blind Melon. But, comparing Townsend to other artists would be a waste of time. Hers is a unique path, and her voice is one that rises and guides you throughout her album Waitin’ and Seein’.

Make no mistake. Music is a way of life for Carmen Townsend. Now is the time for the world to hear her voice. Brace yourself. It’s louder than you think.

CHINOOK COUNTRY LINE DANCERS
Thursday, July 14 @ 11:05 AM
Friday, July 15 @ 11:05 AM

The Chinook Country Line Dancers has evolved into the largest and most popular country line dance organization open to the public in Calgary. Its members are not professional dancers, but instead a collection of everyday people. The dancers attend country dances, dance at special functions and are very involved during Stampede time.

DREW GREGORY
Daily @ 9:00 AM

Since the release of his debut album “Country Hurricane” Drew Kyle Gregory’s music career has begun to take off. He is a recent winner of “Best Original Song” at the Ranchman’s Rising Star Competition and received an “Honorable Mention Award” at the Calgary Folk Festival Songwriting Competition.

Drew was born and raised in the small farming town of Standard, Alberta about an hour outside Calgary. Between working on the family farm and school he always enjoyed playing guitar. He was well known for showing up to every high school party with a guitar on his back. After high school he headed off to SAIT in Calgary to pursue a career in geomatics, while still playing music on the side. After he graduated he did a year of surveying. Most of the time he worked away from home and was never in an atmosphere where he could entertain. He decided that this was not the right career for him. After a backpacking trip to Australia he moved back to his hometown where he got a part time oil patch job and began to farm with his Dad.

In the next couple of years he would start taking his music much more seriously, beginning to write his own music and really working on his singing. His sister, Natalie, who also loved music, happened to get a job at a recording studio during this time and together they recorded an acoustic CD of his own songs for their mom for Christmas. It became much more than that. “Once people heard I’d made a CD everyone started asking for one”. This was the last piece Drew needed to start seriously pursuing a music career. He made the decision to head south and within a month had his truck packed with some clothes and a guitar and made the long journey to Nashville. Here he met many writers and artists and other contacts and got a whole new appreciation for the music business.

Drew returned home in the spring to help farm and, soon after seeding, met up with producer Don Sommerville in Calgary through connections he had made in Nashville. Don saw potential in Drew and wanted him back in Nashville making a record, so by the next winter that is exactly what happened. “This album has come together better than I ever could have expected. I concentrated very hard on the songwriting for this album. Hearing it, you get a really good idea of who I am, where I came from and where I’m going, and I’m very proud of that. Hopefully this CD is only the beginning.”

DUANE STEELE
Monday, July 11 @ 12:00 PM

Duane Steele is among Canada's top country recording artists and songwriters with a professional career dating back to 1984. Over the course of that career, Steele has released five albums, had numerous radio hits (including “Anita Got Married” his first single release and #1 hit), and has had eleven videos on CMT Canada. In 1997 Duane was the winner of the CCMA for Vocal Collaboration of the Year with Lisa Brokopfor the single "Two Names on an Overpass". Fans relate to his lyrics and song writing style. When he is not touring or working on his own projects he is often writing with other artists.

FIDDLERS GREEN & DARA

Tuesday, July 12 @ 10:30 AM
Wednesday, July 13 @ 10:30 AM

Fiddlers Green is one of Canada's most popular Traditional Celtic bands. Fronted by guitarist and Irishman Bryan Culliton, the group features first rate fiddlers Ben Plotnick and Sean Softly and vocalist Ruth Purves Smith. Fiddlers Green will be sure to get your feet tapping with their endless and energetic repertoire of Jigs and Reels!

DARA
Dara is one of Alberta's most energetic young Celtic dance groups. Featuring world class dancers and choreographers, the troupe always dazzles with their Riverdance styled arrangements!

FIRST NATIONS PARADE

Daily @ 11:30 AM

Witness members of the five tribes of Treaty 7 from Southern Alberta, dressed in traditional regalia, as they proudly share their heritage and culture through dance, music and commentary (weather permitting).

Representatives of the five First Nations that participated in the 1877 signing of Treaty Seven with Queen Victoria's government parade on horseback from 1st Street SW along 9th Avenue to Fluor Rope Square. Join them in the Friendship Dance! Following Rope Square, they proceed to 4th Avenue SW, with stops at the Sheraton Suites Eau Claire and Westin Hotels for photo sessions.

The distinctive and colourful outfits worn by the Indian people represent many hours of work. The tanning of the hides for buckskin outfits, and the intricate beadwork, require special skills and much patience. Each tribe has its own individual patterns and styles of beadwork. Many of the head dresses are made of eagle feathers, the eagle being a sacred bird to the Native people, and the right to wear an eagle feather head dress must be earned by the wearer. Many of the riders have horse gear to match their buckskin outfits.

The tribes represented, who prefer to use their own names, include:
Kainai or Blood (Fort MacLeod)
Nakoda or Stoney consist of three bands: Goodstoney, Bearspaw and Chiniki (Morley from west of Calgary and Eden Valley west of Longview)
Peigan (Brocket)

Siksika or Blackfoot (east of Calgary)

Tsuu T'ina or Sarcee (southwest of Calgary)

FLUOR GREAT WESTERN FLAPJACK FLIP CONTEST
Daily @ 10:05 AM

This exhibition of skill and enthusiasm involves a flapjack "flipper" and "catcher". Contestants compete in teams with prizes awarded on the basis of the team's ability to elevate the foodstuff to new heights, and return the product to a safe landing. NASA and the Space Shuttle – look out!

• Contests are pre-selected from the audience.
• Judges determine the daily winner, with the winning duo receiving a prize courtesy of Fluor.
• Competing teams are judged on their flapjack flipping abilities in three categories: Elevation, Security of Catch, and finally their Style, Grace and Originality.

GIL GRAND

Thursday, July 14 @ 12:00 PM

Whether sharing his songs and stories in an acoustic setting, or performing at one of his energetic full-band concerts, Gil Grand continues to wow audiences with his pure traditional voice and his ability to entertain and connect with the fans. “It’s an incredible feeling to share your music with the fans and to know you’ve touched someone’s life. I feel blessed and proud to be a Canadian country artist. This is the best job in the world!"

Grand burst onto the scene in 1998 with his hit “Famous First Words” and has since released two more albums which included the hits “Burnin’”, Cry A Little”, Break It To Them Gently”, and his homage to the homeless “Somebody’s Someone”.

GORD BAMFORD
Friday, July 15 @ 12:00 PM

Whether he’s opening for George Strait at the Calgary Stampede or playing for an intimate crowd, Gord Bamford puts his heart and soul into Canadian country music.

He is the 2010 Canadian Country Music Association Male Vocalist of the Year and his four CD release "Day Job" earned the 2010 CCMA Album of the Year Award!

The Australian-born, Alberta-raised Bamford has been making country music a priority for the past 15 years. He won Q91 radio station’s “Search for the Stars” talent contest in 1994, which included a recording session at a professional studio.

It was a few more years before Gord would record his first full length album. In 2001 he began writing the songs for “God’s Green Earth”. During the recording sessions, Gord came across a song “God’s Green Earth” that had been sent to him from Nashville and was written by respected Nashville hit-maker Byron Hill. (Hill wrote Fool Hearted Memory, George Strait’s first number one single.) Once the album was finished, Gord sent a copy to Byron so he could hear how the song turned out. Byron heard something he liked and invited Gord to Nashville to meet and discuss both his music and future. Since that time, Byron has been co-producing and co-writing with in Gord ever since.

“Life Is Good” was released in 2004 to rave reviews and generated six Top 20 radio hits for Bamford. Songs such as “Life Is Good’, “Heroes”, “All About Her”, and “I Would For You”, firmly established Bamford as a serious entertainer in the Canadian country music scene. It was during these years, Gord spent a lot of time honing his skills out on the road playing clubs, halls, and rodeos. For every mile under those tires, there was a story waiting to be told. Gord took advantage of each opportunity to write those songs and tell those stories. Numerous trips to Nashville, writing with Byron as well as other top songwriters, has sharpened Gord’s skills and have made him a sought after collaborator in Canada.

Gord’s third full length album titled “Honkytonks and Heartaches”, was released in September, 2007 and included 4 singles that topped the Canadian Charts. This album solidified his place as a bonified hitmaker in the Canadian country music industry. His skills as a song writer are evident in the CD’s first three singles: “Blame it On That Red Dress”, “Went For One, Stayed Till Two”, racing up the charts to become number one top charting Canadian singles on country radio. Also on the album, “Postcard from Pasadena” and the popular single “Little Guy” are the type of country songs that Albums of The Year are made of. In December, 2009, Larry DeLaney (Publisher of Country Music News) named “Honkytonks and Heartaches” Canadian Country Album of the Decade.

Gord’s hard work over the years began to pay off in 2008. He received his first ever Juno nomination for Country Recording of the Year. This honour was followed by the Calgary Stampede asking Gord to write the 2008 Stampede theme song titled “This Old Hat”. Later in 2008 at the Canadian Country Music Awards, Gord picked up four CCMA awards for Top New Male Talent, Record Producer Of The Year (with Byron Hill), and Video Of The Year for Blame It On That Red Dress (which also was a number one video on CMT).

The Society of Composers Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (Socan) also recognized Bamford for his songwriting talents for his song Stayed ‘Til Two in November, 2009. It was one of the top three country music songs that achieved the greatest number of performances on domestic radio in 2008.

In addition to his devotion to country music, Gord is a stead fast family man, working tirelessly to find ways to give back. The Gord Bamford Charitable Foundation and his annual charity golf tournament raised over $200,000 dollars in the past two years to support local central Alberta charities. The Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Lacombe Accessible Park Society, Lacombe Athletic Park and the Ronald MacDonald House Red Deer project have all been recipients of Gord’s charitable heart. He also collaborated with the Calgary Stampede Giddy Up Gala to create a heart-warming video for his song “Things Go Better With Love”, and was privileged to star in this video with special needs kids from the Calgary area.

The importance of kids and the western lifestyle are also apparent in Gord’s recent partnership with the Canadian 4-H Council. Set up as a fundraising initiative, 4-H members across the country have the opportunity to sell his CDs, with a substantial portion of the profits going back to their 4-H clubs. Gord, a former alumni member of the Lacombe 4-H Beef Club believes in giving back to organizations that had such a big impact on him in his formative years.

Family, country music and the western lifestyle make up the fabric of Gord Bamford’s life. It’s also the support of his fans, family and friends that keep him grounded.

GUNS OF THE GOLDEN WEST

Saturday, July 9 @ 12:00 PM

Monday, July 11 - Friday July 15 @ 1:00 PM

Saturday, July 16 @ 12:00 PM

Guns of the Golden West is a group dedicated to the preservation of the Old West. With six-guns blazing and a first class shootout underway, they have never failed to excite and amuse crowds of all ages.

True to the code of the West, they defend the honour of fair maidens, shoot up the bad guys and jail unrepentant evildoers. When the smoke clears it is seen that virtue has triumphed and the town is safe again for law-abiding citizens.

After the shootout is over, members of the club will be most happy to pose for photographs.

KATY PERRY TICKET CONTEST
Wednesday, July 13 @ 11:05 AM

KEISTER FAMILY FIDDLERS
Monday, July 11 @ 10:30 AM

Thursday, July 14 - Saturday, July 16 @ 10:30 AM

Four talented sisters aged 16,14 and 11 year old twins make up this energetic and dynamic family fiddling group. They have been performing as a family for three years and have experienced many exciting opportunities. The girls have entertained audiences at Spruce Meadows, the Calgary Stampede, Big Valley Jamboree, and numerous other events throughout Alberta. These sisters have enjoyed meeting a lot of wonderful people, who continue to inspire them with their positive feedback. As well as playing the fiddle, the girls sing and clog to their fiddle tunes. They play hand made spoons, ugly sticks, and other percussion instruments with their Mom accompanying them on her guitar. Entertaining audiences with their fiddle music is what keeps them motivated to practice and continue to work hard.

LAMMLE'S WORLD CHAMPION HAT STOMP COMPETITION
Daily @ 10:05 AM

Could you destroy a cowboy hat in 30 seconds?

• Six contestants from the audience are chosen daily in advance of the event
• Judges determine the daily winner. The daily winner receives a certificate for a cowboy hat.
• Contestants are judged on their hat stomping abilities in three categories: Mash Factor, Originality and Style. Up to 10 points are awarded in each of the categories. (Don't worry, we supply the hat!)
• The six daily winners return on the final Saturday, July 15, to compete for the grand prize of a championship silver buckle.

PARADE OF THE OLD TIME RIGS

Daily @ 10:20 AM

Many of these Old Time rigs date back to the turn of the century as well as the late 1800s. Owned by pioneering families, they were found in old barns around the countryside. Over the years, several of these rigs were dedicated and donated to the Downtown Attractions Committee, as well as purchased at auction sales across Canada.

There are about 15 rigs in the inventory: buckboards, coaches, doctors' buggies, carriages, an old Red River cart, and, of course, a surrey with the fringe on top. Restoration of these old rigs is ongoing. Wheelwrights are in big demand even to this day.

In total, about forty head of horses set off the mini parade stretching an entire block. Fifteen beautiful teams of horses - including Belgians, Percherons, Morgans, Thoroughbreds, and other breeds - all in fancy harness - make up the contingent.

RIGS ESCORTED BY THE CALGARY STAMPEDE BAND SHOW RIDERS

RAMBLIN' ROY
SADDLE STAGE AREA FOR LITTLE COWPOKES

Tuesday, July 12 @ 10:30 AM

From out of the wild west rides “Ramblin’ Roy” the fastest six string guitar slingin’ cowboy from the Rockies to the Pecos. Tall in the saddle atop his trusty steed “Buster”, Roy performs some of the best cowboy music and western comedy.

Audiences of all ages will enjoy singing along and sharing a laugh with this interactive and highly visual act. Whether performing on stage or strolling with his palomino pony this cowboy is sure to keep your audience entertained for hours!

RED DEER ROYALS MARCHING BAND

Saturday, July 9 @ 10:30 AM

Numbering 105 members and now celebrating their 42nd year in existence, the Red Deer Royals have amassed many impressive accomplishments.
In 2009 they received a Silver Medal in the World Championships for Marching Show Bands and the World Music Contest in Kerkrade, The Netherlands. In 2008 they were the top overall marching band in both the Calgary Stampede Parade and Edmonton’s Capital Ex Parade. In 2010 they placed 2nd in the Stampede Parade and 1st in the Capital Ex Parade.

A versatile group of young people, as a marching show band they have received Gold Medals for their field show performances at the Alberta Centennial Show Band Competition in 2005, at the World Championships for Marching Show Bands in Monza Italy in 2003 and also in Potsdam Germany in 2001. And as a concert band, the Royals have been awarded two Gold Medals at Canada’s National Concert Band Finals and Superior Band Awards at the Alberta Band Association Festival. They have also been named the outstanding Community Youth Band in the Province of Alberta.

In July and August 2011 the Royals will be travelling to Malaysia to participate in the WAMSB World Championships in Kuala Lumpur.

THE RODEO RIDERS

SADDLE STAGE AREA FOR LITTLE COWPOKES
Thursday, July 14 @ 10:30 AM

Hold onto your hats, grab your saddle horn, and get ready to ride the range with two of the greatest unsung heroes of the wild, wild west! Take a trip back through time with those two fun lovin’ cowboys Dusty Britches and Saddlesore Sam and watch the magic of the old west come back to life. Created by D.J. Warkentin and Jon Briggs, The Rodeo Riders will tickle your funny bone with some of the corniest line gags and visual props ever created. From the top of their sparkling jewel encrusted ten gallon hats down to the star embossed boots and chrome polished spurs, “The Rodeo Riders” recreate on stage all the glamour of a nostalgic silver screen western with just the right touch of comedy.

TANYA RYAN
Saturday, July 16 @ 11:05 AM

Tanya Ryan is a singer-songwriter and was recently named Country 105's/Lammles' 2011 Rising Star. Born on the Canadian prairies, Tanya currently calls Okotoks, Alberta home and it is in these Foothills that she has cut her proverbial teeth as a burgeoning country-blues performer. Over the past year, Tanya has made several trips to Nashville, Tennesee to continue to refine her songwriting art and to showcase her talent in 'Music City'. Today, Tanya is accompanied by Wade Tutt a friend and fellow foothills artist.

TRAVELLING MABELS
Tuesday, July 12 @ 12:00 PM

Eva, Lana and Suzanne are three unique women, each with their own vocal style, that when brought together as the Travelling Mabels, create an exciting and magical musical blend. Collectively, they bring a wealth of their own life experiences to the stage and are creating a refreshing & engaging new sound. All three hail from Alberta, and have extensive experience on the concert stage, playing all the major festivals including The Big Valley Jamboree and the Calgary Stampede. They recently released their second CD entitled “Song in a Dream”.

TBA = PERFORMANCE DATES & TIMES TO BE ANNOUNCED
TIMES APPROXIMATE - EXACT PERFORMANCE TIMES MAY VARY
SCHEDULE MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE - LAST UPDATED MAY 24, 2011

FLUOR ROPE SQUARE 2011 ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

Thanks to the following entertainers who joined us during the 2011 Calgary Stampede!

FLUOR ROPE SQUARE
2011 ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

Thanks to the following entertainers who joined us during
the 2011 Calgary Stampede!