Calgary’s Grey Cup party is taking shape, with tickets now on sale for four days of concerts, football traditions, family programming and Western-themed events leading into the CFL championship game.
Organizers released the full schedule Wednesday for the Cenovus Energy 2026 Grey Cup Festival, which will run Nov. 11-14 at Stampede Park. The week concludes Nov. 15 when the 113th Grey Cup is played at McMahon Stadium.
The festival will combine free public programming with ticketed concerts, team parties, rodeo performances and alumni events. Tickets and the complete schedule are available through GreyCupFestival.ca, while corporate packages are also being offered.
“Grey Cup week has always been about so much more than one football game,” festival co-chair Deborah Yedlin said in the announcement. “It is a celebration that brings Canadians together, and this November we have an opportunity to showcase the very best of Calgary while welcoming fans from every corner of the country.”
The festivities begin on Remembrance Day, with an acknowledgement honouring Canadian military members, past and present.
—The kickoff party featuring Canadian rock band The Trews at the Big Four Roadhouse.
— The same venue will host Great Big Sea’s Alan Doyle and The Strumbellas on Nov. 12.
— Music will remain a major part of the program throughout the week, including local performers on an outdoor stage and a Saturday-night concert presented by Bud Light. Tickets for that concert are being sold without the headlining country artist being identified in advance.
— Stampede Park’s Lot 3 will become the festival’s main free outdoor gathering place from Nov. 12-14. The street festival is scheduled to include pancake breakfasts, family-friendly licensed beer gardens, partner displays, warming areas, interactive art, a Northern Lights experience and nightly drone shows.
— Football programming will be offered on indoor and outdoor turf, with sessions led by Football Alberta.
— Dodginghorse Ranch will also present demonstrations of traditional Indigenous games.
— Calgary’s Western identity will move into the spotlight Nov. 14 with two rodeo performances at the Nutrien Centre. The program includes bull riding, saddle bronc, bareback, bull fighting and wild pony racing, supported by pyrotechnics and live music from Alberta country artist Drew Gregory.
— Families will have another free option inside the BMO Centre. The TELUS Family Zone will feature children’s entertainment, inflatable attractions, a toddler area, football activities, autograph sessions and displays from the Canadian Football Hall of Fame. CFL alumni and current players are also scheduled to participate.
— Organizers are adding several accessibility supports. A sensory-friendly enclosed trailer, developed with AdaptAbility, will offer guests a quieter space with managed lighting and sound, comfort aids and tactile features. Noise-reducing earmuffs, earplugs and fidget toys will be available to borrow, while the Lil’ Fan Zone will provide infant-feeding and changing space.
— A Girls in Sport Summit at the Scotiabank Saddledome will bring together 300 girls between eight and 14 on Nov. 14. Participants will take part in football or cheer clinics and hear from women involved in sport. A Cheer Extravaganza featuring CFL cheer and dance teams will follow.
— The traditional CFL team parties begin Nov. 12 at the BMO Centre, with each club hosting a themed space built around its home-city food, entertainment and fan culture. On Nov. 13, the CFL Alumni Association Legends Luncheon will bring former players together at the Big Four Roadhouse while raising money for the association’s support fund.
— The celebration shifts to McMahon Stadium on Grey Cup Sunday. A free game-day tailgate will run from 1 to 5 p.m. in the east parking lot, offering entertainment, games, food and beverages before kickoff. A separate ticketed, adults-only VIP tailgate will provide a private space, covered and heated seating, stage-front access and upgraded food and beverage choices available for purchase.
Nearly 950 volunteers are expected to help run the festival, assisting visitors, supporting events and helping fans find their way around Stampede Park.
Tourism officials are also positioning the event as a boost for Calgary’s visitor economy. The national audience and travelling fan base are expected to create opportunities for hotels, restaurants and local businesses during the traditionally busy sports week. Tourism Calgary president and CEO Alisha Reynolds said the festival will showcase the city’s hospitality and culture while supporting hundreds of businesses that contribute to the growing visitor economy.
“Calgary knows how to host a celebration, and Grey Cup week is an opportunity to show Canadians the hospitality, spirit and character that make this city so special,” Mayor Jeromy Farkas said in the release.
The festival represents Calgary’s chance to place its football history, music scene and Western culture in front of visiting supporters before the championship takes centre stage.
“There is nothing quite like Grey Cup week,” Calgary Stampeders president Jay McNeil said. “This November, we get to welcome CFL fans from across the country into our home.”
