Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has given Calgary until Tuesday to change its noise rules for Stampede week concert tents or face possible provincial intervention. However, Mayor Jeromy Farkas says the issue is done.
Farkas, who was asked by reporters on Thursday about the June 30 deadline, said Calgary city councillors debated changing the rules earlier this week and they voted no.
“Our formal response was provided in advance of the June 30 deadline,” he said
Farkas claims the rules the city has on closing times and music shutdowns for off-site outdoor concerts during the Calgary Stampede festival are the same or even more permissive than comparable events in North America.
“We’ve struck the right balance between the needs of the local residents as well as those of industry,” he added.
The city has reduced concert hours and decibel levels for outdoor concerts during this year’s Stampede out of respect for residents who live within earshot of the events.
However, the city will allow an extra 30 minutes of “cool-down” music to be played for longer while patrons exited.
On Monday, Smith and other cabinet ministers sent a letter to Calgary council urging the noise and sound rules be relaxed, claiming the vibrancy of the Stampede is at risk.
The letter gives council a deadline of Tuesday to rethink the issue or face the province getting involved prior to the start of this year’s Stampede, which runs from July 3 to July 12.
On Thursday, Smith spokesperson Sam Blackett declined to comment directly on the latest comments from Farkas.
The city revised its noise bylaw after it claimed last year’s downtown Stampede concert tents drew 225 complaints, including from residents who lost sleep and whose windows vibrated due to the noise.
More than half of those complaints were related to the Cowboys Music Festival, whose organizers have also been among the most vocal critics of the city’s new noise restrictions.
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After earlier accusing Cowboys’ organizers of treating their neighbours like garbage and participating in a smear campaign against the city, on Thursday Farkas posted a photo on social media thanking the operators of the Cowboys and Badlands Stampede concert tents for “a very productive meeting.”
The meeting took place a day after the organizers of the Country Thunder Alberta 2026 music festival, which was supposed to take place this weekend, made a surprise announcement that they were cancelling their festival, in part blaming the city’s new noise bylaw.
Farkas reacted to the cancellation by accusing the event’s organizers of “throwing the city under the bus” and of misrepresenting and misleading Calgarians.
According to Ryan Pleckaitis, the city’s community standards chief, there were 13 noise-related complaints during last year’s Country Thunder event, and the three-day festival only slightly exceeded what was prescribed in the event’s permits.
Pleckaitis said Thursday that last year’s noise levels led to an increased allowable decibel limit in Country Thunder’s permits for this year, from 65 to 70 dBA, while bass levels in the permits were reduced to 80 dBc.
“We would’ve sent that out to them last week or shortly before. There was no issues ever raised to us when they received their permit,” he told Global News.
Pleckaitis said the noise levels in the exemption permits are measured at the “point of reception,” which in Country Thunder’s case would have been nearby residential buildings in the East Village.
“The noise level on the festival grounds can actually be much higher than what the permit prescribes, but it just can’t travel to nearby residential communities and have detrimental impacts to residents who live there,” he said.
The teardown of the stage, tents and equipment on the site of the event at the Confluence, previously named Fort Calgary, continued Thursday.
Vendors that were preparing for a big weekend are now adjusting their plans, including YYC Food Trucks, which had several trucks ready to serve up food to festival-goers this weekend.
“It’s sadness for the trucks, for the small businesses, the operators, for everybody,” said YYC Food Trucks owner Jennifer Andrews. “It’s sad for Calgarians. We have a short season here in Calgary.”
Country Thunder organizers did not respond to Global News’ request for comment.
But so far the premier’s office hasn’t taken the option of provincial intervention off the table.
Blackett also deferred to a previous statement in which the premier’s spokesperson said the city and stakeholders should come together to find a solution that works for everyone.
–with files from The Canadian Press.
Well lets see, The 13 complaints were against Country Thunder. and 200 plus was against the other two venues. As for Stampede the show goes on.
I don’t blame Country Thunder cancelling, with the weather is forecast rain all weekend. I’m assuming there was a clause in their contract that allowed them to cancel. And blaming it on the noise bylaw was just an easier way out.
The other two venues, their the ones that took a hit, but they accept the new Bylaw and will continue on.
People on here want DS to step in and do something, she has a hard enough time running the province. For a lot of Albertans want her gone.
I also saw Wokism written in here. I find a lot of people don’t like the fact that our Mayor of Calgary stands up for the people of Calgary. It’s not Wokism, Mayor Farkas is doing what he got elected for, representing the people of Calgary.
I think Canadian Mayors are worse than activists without a clue.
I live in Sunalta on 19th st sw. Previous events held at the now ‘cowboy’s park are clearly heard from my back step. When the offspring were playing it sounded like my neighbors had the radio blasting. They really don’t need the sound louder. If you can’t hear 70dcb you’re already going deaf.
Apparently the city officials will get their way. Decibel level will be down. The 13 complainers should be ecstatic now. Peace to all.
That’s what happens when you let a bunch of self serving socialists run the city.
We will stand up again the province by all means.
Imagine living in the downtown core, and expecting it to be peaceful.
Like a few separatists trying to run Albera hey les lie?
225 Karen’s with purple hair, changed the bylaws in a city of 1.6MM. Textbook wokism.
what ever happened to the women that was getting a train ran on her by two guys behind the out houses that one year ?? they should ask for their opinions
So the provincial government looses their mind when Ottawa steps over the line into provincial rules, but yet they are absolutely threatening to do exactly the same thing to the city of Calgary.
Wow, hypocrite much?
Commie-gary. Happens every time you elect a socialist to run things.
Staying in the lane only applies to others, not Dani Smith.
She is such a hypocrite! The time supporter of Alberta separatist, Is now going to do what she says the federal government is do to Alberta! I cry HYPOCRITE!
Lincoln Gloux
June 26, 2026 at 6:59 am
Here come the notwithstanding clause…
No no that only comes when entitled teachers try to uphold our children’s education. Thanks for coming out though.
Ask yourselves why is the provincial government involving itself in municipal affairs? Overreach? I would say so!
Way to go, Mr. Farkas! Bravo! She needs to “stay in her own lane”. Admirable that you are considering the nurse who must get up early to go to work. Admirable that you are standing up to DS, who clearly has ODD. Thank you for being strong.
Just keep doing things to degrade the Stampede experience and the city will eventually be able to replace it with a more gentile and sophisticated Arts Festival.
Naturally, lose money hand over foot, but what’s money when a city has peasents to tax more and more.
Lol
Interesting that Country Thunder was cancelled at the last minute. Might it be due to the weekend weather forecast? Rain, Wind, Rain, Wind. Just asking.
Looks like Calgary has a dork for a mayor
13 complaints in a city of 1.5 million?
Hopefully the premier sets things right
Here come the notwithstanding clause…
Seems like these residents that are complaining are fairly new to how we do things in Canada. Especially during a The Stampede. Adapt to our way of life. Not the other way around.✌️
Way to go Mr. Farkas, the mouthy lady can go pound mud in the bow river.
The Mayor of Calgary needs to realize that the municipalities get their power from the province. So if the province wants ‘the Greatest Show on Earth” rather than the ‘Quietest show in Alberta”, then that is their call.
Calgary can either allow a noisy event for tourism, or they can lose it to a neighbour. – or get a new election called by the province.
It’s supposed to rain most of next week in Calgary. Combine that fact with soft pre sales explains the cancellation.