Each July, the Calgary Stampede transforms Alberta’s largest city into a sprawling celebration of rodeo tradition, agricultural heritage, and Western spectacle. Held on the traditional territories of the Treaty 7 Nations – which include the Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani First Nations, the Tsuut’ina Nation, the Stoney Nakoda, and the Métis Nation of Alberta, Region III – the event begins each day with a land acknowledgement, recognising the Indigenous peoples who have long called this land home.

Against this backdrop of history and pageantry, the Stampede unfolds: bronc riders mid-air, carnival lights blinking through prairie dust, cowboy boots kicking up generations of stories. But alongside the celebration, the Stampede has long been dogged by controversy: critics point to animal welfare concerns (the event continues to partner with the University of Calgary’s College of Veterinary Medicine) and the commercialisation of Indigenous traditions, while supporters champion its economic impact and community pride. It’s a spectacle where excitement and unease ride side by side.

Canada-born, London-based photographer Jan Stasiuk travelled to this year’s event, across four days, documenting one of Canada’s most recognised and complex cultural gatherings – discover his photographic portrait below. 

Photography Jan Stasiuk
Photo editor Aaron Pedersen