The Cowboys Music Festival tent on July 16, 2024. Jim Wells/Postmedia

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In the wake of a pact with Stampede week music tents meant to curb a public outcry, city officials said Monday they’ve logged 70 decibel complaints and issued one violation ticket.

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Of the complaints, 40 were aimed at the Cowboys tent, located in the park by the same name in the downtown west end — close to the 39 generated by the festival in the same amount of time last year — but inspectors said they found no violations there.

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“We’re pleased to report that every noise reading taken for Cowboys Music Festival has been below their allowable maximum decibel limit as prescribed in their Noise Exemption Permit,” the city said in a press release Monday.

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Where those city officials did find an alleged noise violation over the first four days of Stampede, including sneak-a-peek Thursday night, was at the Badlands Music Festival tent — which also garnered 15 noise complaints, compared to six in the comparable 2025 time span.

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“After multiple warnings, a ticket was issued last night to event organizers at Badlands Music Festival tent for exceeding their allowable maximum decibel limit. That ticket is now under review,” stated the city.

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“We strongly encourage event organizers to adjust decibel levels to comply with their noise exemption permit and to avoid escalating enforcement action.”

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The giant canopy for the Badlands Music Festival is shown off of 9th Avenue S.W. near 7th Street in downtown Calgary on Monday, June 22, 2026. Brent Calver/Postmedia

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Of the other noise complaints, 15 came from the National Saloon, five for Whiskey Rose and one for Mexifest, said the city.

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Three festival tents located in the downtown core during last year’s Stampede generated more than 200 public complaints from nearby residents concerned about loud noise, vibrations that rattled their homes with resulting property damage, and loud, inebriated patrons.

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‘Concerns are being heard,’ says city spokesperson

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Just prior to the 2026 Stampede week, the operators of the Cowboys tent had complained about new rules rolling back operating hours and a reduction in allowable decibel levels, insisting they would impair the customer experience and their ability to maintain employment.

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But in a compromise reached in late June, it was determined music would end at midnight on both weekdays and weekend nights, which is 90 minutes earlier than last year, with a cooling-off period running until 1 a.m. Last year, that cooling off lasted until 2 a.m.

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“We understand residents want to know their concerns are being heard,” said a city spokesperson on Monday. “We are monitoring noise and nuisance concerns related to concert tents and responding through a progressive enforcement approach that begins with education and verbal warnings.