So there’s this tradition in Calgary. It rolls around once a year, setting the city all a flutter. People come from far and wide to bask in its atmosphere, and to revel in the many celebrations that accompany it.

For city dwellers, it’s a time to kick back, relax, and kick up their respective heels a little more freely, and for those in from out of town, let’s just say that it’s unlikely that they’ll be left wanting for a good time.

I speak, of course, of the 10-day cavalcade of amusement that is the Calgary Stampede. The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, as it’s often referred to around these parts, has been attracting crowds since 1912, when Guy Weadick launched the very first Stampede to celebrate the authentic cowboy culture of the vanishing west.

That equates to 97 years of chuckwagons, rodeo clowns, Zipper rides and corn dogs. Back in the early days, there was no eight-second rule for those brave enough to sit atop the saddle on a bucking bronco; participants simply stayed on until the horse decided to stop —#8212; a feat that could take as long as 10 minutes.

Luckily for all involved, times have changed. Today, the Calgary Stampede has matured from the frontier exhibition of the days of yore into an annual spectacle capable of drawing well over a million people.

“As the years have gone by, it has grown,” says Doug Fraser, media relations manager for the Calgary Stampede. “The environmental initiatives have grown, the talent at Nashville grown and the Coca-Cola stage has gotten better, so we’ve really truly improved a lot of things.”

The environmental initiative that Fraser is referring to has resulted in the Stampede being accredited with an ISO 14001 rating, which represents a commitment to environmental legal compliance, continual improvement and prevention of pollution.

“(It’s) an environmental standard that is very hard to achieve,” says Fraser. “But the Calgary Stampede has achieved that recognition, and we are very proud to have done so.“

Some of the steps taken by the Stampede in order to achieve such a lofty goal include placing collection bins to recyclables, the use of hybrid and biodiesel vehicles, the installation of dual flush toilets and waterless urinals and even a pilot project involving solar power.

The move to reduce the Stampede’s environmental footprint is just one way that the Stampede has been able to change with the times, incorporating new sensibilities while still maintaining its all important link to the past.

And if there is one aspect of the Stampede that can be pointed to as providing a bonding between old and new, it’s the rodeo and the GMC Rangeland Derby.

Harkening back to a time when roundup crews would race their chuckwagons and riders for the last half-mile to the nearest town (and saloon) after roundup, the Stampede attracts 120 of the toughest cowboys and cowgirls from around the world, all in search of a little glory in one of the of the six major rodeo events: saddle bronc, bareback, bull riding, tie-down roping, steer wrestling and ladies barrel racing.

This year, the rodeo has upped the ante. With the prize money awarded set to top $2,000,000, the Calgary Stampede has further solidified its status as the richest outdoor rodeo on the planet, and one capable of drawing the highest caliber talent the sport has to offer.

With his position at the Stampede allowing him a behind the scenes glimpse at just what it takes to survive in the rodeo world, Fraser -- who cites the bull riding competition as his personal favourite -- has no illusions about where the cowboy ranks in the professional sports world.

“I’ve played hockey and I’ve played football, but I don’t know if there’s anybody tougher than a rodeo cowboy. I see these guys in the medical room before their performance, and they’re getting taped up and they’re getting casts put on so that they don’t get hurt —#8212; it’s amazing to watch the whole thing.”

The rodeo and chuckwagon races are just a couple of the many attractions in store for those who venture down to the 193 acres of Stampede Park. In addition to the usual games, rides and gastrointestinal delights that the Stampede offers, there are some new additions to entice visitors to the park.

One of the most talked about attractions is the Rocktagon, a 360-degree sensory overload that surrounds the audience with 30-foot video screens and 30,000 watts of sound. The exhibit is just one of the many ways that those at the Stampede are hoping to attract the masses —#8212; from near and far —#8212; despite the current economic climate.

“We’ve got about 100 new things that we can talk about this year,” says Fraser. “The thing is that we are all facing a recession right now, so people are looking at their discretionary spending and saying ‘Gee, can we make it?” Well we’re trying to make it worth their while to come down; we’ve got about $3,000,000 worth of free value on park after they come in through the gate.”

Along with the obvious additions on display for all to see at Stampede Park itself, some of the biggest changes have been occurring outside of the area traditionally visited by most Stampede goers.

As part of the park’s development plan, guests coming to this year’s Stampede can look forward to a new entrance in the southeast corner of the park, along with the opening of the new BMO Centre -- the rebranded and revamped Round Up Centre that will boast an additional 50,000 sq. ft. of exhibition space thanks to a 10-year sponsorship deal with BMO Financial.

Money from the deal will be used to sponsor future expansion projects on the grounds, including Gladstone Park on the east side of the Elbow River, a new $65 million state-of-the-art agriculture facility, and retail development along Main Street. And although these projects, designed to “solidify Stampede Park as a vibrant gathering place for all Calgarians and their guests to enjoy” and to make the park “one of the most unique agricultural showcases in the world,” will eventually take place, Fraser stresses a little patience may be required.

“We are a not-for-profit society here at The Calgary Stampede, in other words, every cent of profit that we make has to be plowed back into the park,” says Fraser. “That’s all going to happen, but it’s not going to happen before we can pay for it, because we’re a not-for-profit society. We know it’s going to take some time.”

Cody Stuart is a Calgary Real Estate News resident reporter.