Billed as the greatest outdoor show on earth, the 96th Calgary Stampede kicked off Friday in the western Canadian city with a grand parade of 350,000 people.
Patsy Rodgers, 82, and the Calgary Stampede's first queen in 1946, led the procession as this year's parade marshal.
The parade, which proceed through a 4.5 kilometer regular route in downtown Calgary, features 170 entries, including floats, powerful marching bands, horse drawn carriages, western riders and more than 800 horses.
In pre-parade celebrations, musical groups, dancers, singers, martial arts experts, equestrians and belly dancers performed for spectators that arrived early to secure a good viewing spot.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper showed up at the Stampede President's reception at the Round Up Center in Calgary.
The annual event, which celebrates the cowboy way of life, will last 10 days this year.
The Calgary Stampede usually attracts about 1.2 million visitors annually but rising gas prices may put a damper on the turnout this year.
Visitor groups usually travel from all over North America to attend the Stampede but tour operators say their numbers are expected to drop by 50 percent this year.
Source: Xinhua
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