In accordance with the city’s new guidelines, the Calgary Stampede and other music-related events are now required to wrap up by midnight between Sundays and Thursdays.
On weeknights, the Calgary Stampede and “all music festivals outside of Stampede Park” must end at midnight to adhere to Calgary's new noise guidelines.
This week, Global News obtained a city council memo from Calgary Community Standards chief Ryan Pleckaitis that stated that weeknight concerts during the Stampede must end at midnight to “support the safe and orderly exit of patrons.” Reportedly, “cool-down music” will be permitted until 12:30 a.m.
Allowable noise levels (dBA) and maximum bass levels (dBC) have been reduced from 75 dBA and 85 dBC to 70 dBA and 80 dBC before midnight, and from 65 dBA and 85 dBC to 60 dBA and 80 dBC after midnight.
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Notably, the end times for Friday and Saturday nights remain unchanged, with music being allowed until 1:30 am and “cool-down music” until 2 am.
"Sound levels must be actively monitored and managed at all times," the memo reads. "Upon request by law enforcement, sound shall be reduced immediately and maintained at levels that appropriately limit volume, tone, and intensity to mitigate any concerns associated with the event.”
From July 3-12, the Stampede is set to bring a big lineup to the stage, including Alanis Morissette, The Beaches and Alessia Cara.
Pleckaitis says the updated times are in response to community concerns following last year’s Stampede, in which the city received 225 complaints from residents citing vibrating windows in residential towers “late at night,” and items falling from tables and shelves.
Additionally, he claims that residents had complaints of “social disorder, public urination [and] excessive intoxication.”
He highlights that 125 of those complaints were related to the Cowboys Music Festival, a multi-day country event featuring Zach Top, Megan Moroney, Macklemore and others in 2025. This year, it celebrates its 30th anniversary, from July 2-12, with a lineup including Sean Paul, Steve Aoki, Ella Langley, Yungblud and more.
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Paul Vickers, the founding partner of Penny Lane Entertainment — which runs the Cowboys Music Festival — has spoken out about the changes, claiming they were “designed without consultation.”
In a letter obtained by Global News, Vicker stated that artists performing across the Stampede “may cancel due to the proposed changes,” and that the adjustments are “unattainable for any event of this scale. He continued that the changes will force the country festival and “likely others across the city” to reduce hundreds of staff who have already been hired and are expecting to start work in two weeks,” as Vickers doubled down, asking for the changes to be reversed.
According to the memo, failure to comply with the new conditions will result in enforcement action, including a review of the event that may lead to the denial of future permit applications.
Noise complaints are also a hot topic in Toronto this summer. Rogers Stadium has become an open forum for the issue.
Last year, following the Oasis reunion shows, York Centre city councillor James Pasternak said “something must be done” to control the sound after some residents commented that the speaker vibrations were strong enough to rattle their windows. The complaints remain for the venue's second season. Following Post Malone’s concert on Tuesday (June 16), residents say the sound was “excessive” and “ridiculously loud," as reported by CTV News.
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No official curfew laws have been implemented by the city of Toronto.
