Calgary Stampede Parade, July 8, 2016
The grand parade opening the annual Calgary Stampede was held on July 8, 2016, in downtown Calgary.
Over 300,000 people stood along the 4.5 km-long parade route, and hundreds of thousands watched the parade live on television.
This is the 4th year that the Tian Guo Marching Band participated. They received a warm welcome from the spectators and won third place in the cultural category.
Chere Musselwhite, a Stampede staff person, also had words of admiration for the band. She said that other bands took a break between selections, but the Tian Guo Marching Band played one piece after another. She said she could feel strong energy from all the performers.
Her husband John, also a Stampede staff member, gave the Tian Guo Marching Band an award for participation. The committee thanked the band for its outstanding performances. John said he noticed how well the crowd responded to their music.
The day after the opening ceremony, the Tian Guo Marching Band was invited to perform at a breakfast gathering and a community parade in Ranchland. Their performance attracted much attention from the bystanders. People clapped along with the music. Many walked with the band from the beginning to the end of the parade.