Calgary Stampede fun encourages giving, support for local charities

People eat at a Calgary Stampede pancake breakfast, in a parking lot adjacent to the main terminal, at Calgary International Airport, in Calgary, on Wednesday, July 8, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Bill Graveland

It’s typically associated with the rodeo, cowboys and midway, but the Calgary Stampede is gaining a reputation for its goodwill, too.

Every day this week, a handful of vital fundraising events will be dressed up as pancake breakfasts and marketing parties.

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Take Wednesday: Southcentre Mall’s 17th annual Pink Pancake Breakfast once again drew in thousands for its charity.

The Canadian Cancer Society and CIBC Run for the Cure benefit from the morning, which includes pink pancakes, live entertainment and family-friendly activities.

Race director Kirsty McGowan says she’s always impressed by the turnout.

“I think Calgary is just doing what it does best and showing up for something that’s really important,” she told CTV News.

“Last year, we broke the $1 million milestone, and we’re hoping to do that again this year.“

And that wasn’t the only beneficial breakfast in town.

Alcove Addiction Recovery for Women and Recovery Acres Treatment Centre co-hosted a morning event, too.

The aim there was to highlight the need for additional spaces for women and children to access treatment.

Organizers say women in recovery are currently underserved by nearly half the number of beds, so an expansion is needed — and planned.

“It’s hugely important,” Alcove’s Priya Reynaud told CTV News. “The (provincial) funding is not enough to run the centre, so we do rely on donations, philanthropic involvement and grants.”

Both organizations provide wrap-around services to get those in need into recovery and eventually into a long-term housing situation.

Reynaud says Alcove, which helps moms and their kids, focuses heavily on intervention for the former, and prevention for the latter.

“Stampede is often associated with partying and drinking, and what we’re trying to do is show our clients that we can have a lot of fun without all of that.”

Psychology behind giving

One Mount Royal University humanities professor calls the western fundraising clever.

“Social events like Stampede breakfasts are a really good motivator for people to contribute to the particular cause,” David Ohreen said.

“Research shows they actually give a little bit more in terms of their personal donations. The reason for that? There’s a really interesting kind of psychological phenomena known as ‘social proof:’ the idea that if I’m giving to a particular charity and I see other people do the same, then I’m actually more likely to give and maybe even contribute a little bit more.”

Ohreen believes the positive peer pressure helps those in need more than other, more private initiatives.

“If people feel good and they’re happy, they’re actually more likely to contribute.”