As communications professionals, our work in public relations, social media, corporate comms and beyond, often take us to unexpected places. This year we swapped our PR hats for a good ol’ Stetson and headed to the Calgary Stampede. Often dubbed "The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth," the Stampede returned this year with all the fanfare one would expect from the iconic event. Corporate Calgary was also alive and well, taking advantage of the influx of prospective clients, fellow industry peers, and friends and family alike who came to Calgary in droves. This year, Talk Shop saddled up with long-term client and partner Sotheby’s International Realty Canada to host a Stampede event with 250 of our closest friends. But, it wasn’t just an incredible event that made this year’s Stampede such an important one for us - it was what this year’s event showed us about Calgary, its economy, and the future of this resilient city.

A Growing Population

According to Statistics Canada, Calgary experienced unprecedented population growth in 2023, growing by nearly 96,000 people last year — a staggering six percent increase in the span of just 12 months. As of July 2023, Calgary’s population now stands at 1.68 million. Quality of life, relative affordability, and economic stability have all been contributing factors to Caglary’s population growth, which has largely been driven by interprovincial migration. It’s fair to say Calgary’s new residents embraced the spirit of the West, with the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth setting new records; according to event producers, the 2024 edition of the event brought 1,477,953 folks to the Stampede grounds, surpassing the previous record set in 2012.

Thriving Real Estate Market

While enjoying this year’s festivities, we also observed the strength of the city's real estate market, which continues to set new records. According to the Calgary Real Estate Board (CREB), the median price of a single-family detached home increased to $767,700 in June of this year, an increase of 12 percent year-over-year. This record-high demand has driven new developers to the area and an uptick in significant mergers and acquisitions. We saw Vancouver-born Anthem Properties acquire Cedarglen Homes, standing firm in their backing and belief in the strength of Calgary’s real estate market, and homebuilder Jaymen Homes focus its attention on building for the next cohort of Calgary residents with innovative designs and approaches. With record high demand, it’s imperative that developers invest in fresh marketing and communications campaigns to position their projects competitively in this red-hot market; we saw Crystal Creek Homes do just that with a phenomenal Stampede breakfast that kicked off week two of festivities.

A Hub for Tech Innovation

It would not be Stampede without significant contributions and events put on by Calgary’s growing tech scene. We attended the Calgary Tech Stampede Social hosted at Platform Calgary and were impressed with not just the number of folks who attended but also the optimism in the air. Co-hosted by Plug and Play Alberta, Helcim, Showpass, 500 Global, Garmin, Valhalla Private Capital, Neo Financial, Startup TNT, Goodlawyer, WaitWell, and more, the event was a standout and a great representation of what 2025 has in store for Calgary. More tech, more events, and more fun.

With a strong economy, a vibrant cultural scene, and a growing population bursting with the next generation of business leaders, there is no stopping Calgary - and we’re grateful to be along for the ride. Whether you’re a tech founder, developer, or entrepreneur, there is no shortage of opportunity in the city, and the Calgary Stampede showed us just that and more.

Interested in building out your integrated communications strategy in the Calgary market? Shoot us a message - we can help.