Brad Rempel, lead vocalist of the Alberta country band High Valley, which will be the headlining act at the 2026 Stampede Grandstand Show. Dean Pilling/Postmedia Dean Piling/Postmedia

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For more than 60 years, the Grandstand Show has been the ideal way to cap a day at the Stampede.

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This extravaganza of music, songs, dance, and specialty acts follows the chuckwagon races, and the show’s producer, Mark Eriksen, promises that this year it will elicit cheers and applause one moment and gasps of wonderment and disbelief the next.

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Since 1968, one of the Grandstand Show’s features has been the participation of The Young Canadians. When they first appeared, the Young Canadians were a bit of a novelty act, but today they are the backbone of the shows. This year’s company boasts 118 singers and dancers aged 7 through 21.

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They will open this year’s show with a production number called Rhythm is a Dancer choreographed by Angela Benson. The youngsters may make it look effortless, but they have been rehearsing their routines since April. Each time they appear during the evening, the entire company is appropriately costumed by Benjamin Toner.

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This production number, which morphs into a second song for The Young Canadians, All We Need is a Star, is followed by the specialty act Duo Soma from Argentina. Eriksen says the act is “absolutely jaw-dropping. It will definitely have the audience gasping. The man, Tobias Wolfgang, holds this long pole, which his partner, Vanessa Martinez, climbs. When she reaches the top, she attaches herself to the pole with her hair and then begins to spin.”

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Irish dancers, the Gardiner Brothers, are performing during the 2026 Calgary Stampede Grandstand Show. Courtesy, Aqib Anwar Photo by Aqib Anwar

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This duo is followed by The Gardiner Brothers, Matthew and Michael, an Irish tap dance duo who have a huge following on social media. Eriksen says they add a whole new level to Irish tap and are going to be joined by The Young Canadians. He recalls when they told the Gardiners they’d be joined by 118 young singers and dancers, the brothers were ecstatic and created a routine for them.

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Following this high-energy number is this year’s headliner, country music stars High Valley. Eriksen describes their set as “a Super Bowl halftime show. They are one of Canada’s most successful country acts, and the top-selling Canadian band in country music history.” After their set, they will return for the drone extravaganza. They will sing live Ghost Riders in the Sky, and I Be U Be as the drones make patterns in the sky.

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High Valley will be followed by The Bello Sisters, an act from Italy. Eriksen promises, “This balancing act will once again have the audience on the edge of their seats. Their skill is amazing but also breathtaking.”

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This sister act will be followed by a brother act from Africa, the Sylla Brothers and their Wheel of Death. “These two men definitely push the limits with their daredevil act.”

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The evening ends with the fireworks finale Can’t Stop the Feeling, once again featuring The Young Canadians and all of the special guests. Eriksen says the moment is so infectious, “it’s going to have the audience members singing and dancing as they leave the venue.

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