'Fun Police Have struck:' Alberta Premier Criticizes New Calgary Stampede Noise Bylaw
City officials say the new rules respond to 225 noise complaints and require weeknight concerts to end at midnight with a 12:30 a.m. cool-down.
- The City of Calgary will enforce stricter noise limits and midnight curfews for weeknight concerts during the July 3–12 Stampede, following a memo from Calgary chief of community standards Ryan Pleckaitis.
- These restrictions follow 225 noise complaints from last year's Stampede festivities, where residents reported vibrating windows and items falling off shelves during concerts.
- Alberta Premier Danielle Smith criticized the decision, posting on X that 'the fun police have struck' Calgary, while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre argued 'City Hall gatekeepers are making a big mistake.'
- Mayor Jeromy Farkas defended the rules, stating the city must balance festival celebrations with resident needs and that 'no one gets a free pass to disturb residents or create unsafe conditions.'
- While the Stampede generated $721 million in Alberta economic output in 2025, city officials maintain the noise adjustments are necessary to protect resident quality-of-life during the 10-day festival.
33 Articles
33 Articles
BUZZKILL: Farkas gets prickly over Stampede noise backlash
Facebook (Jeromy Farkas)Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas is facing mounting backlash after defending new City Hall noise restrictions that critics say could gut major Stampede-era festivals and undercut one of the city’s biggest tourism engines.Farkas insists there was no last-minute rule change and that operators were “warned in advance.” Still, entertainment leaders and tourism officials say the City quietly tightened limits in a way that makes lar…
Alberta Premier Clashes With Calgary Mayor Over Noise Permit Changes Impacting Stampede Nightlife Scene
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas traded barbs this weekend with Smith criticizing changes to some Stampede-related noise permit conditions and Farkas hitting out at Smith over a “last-minute” beer price hike.
The Toronto Star
‘Fun police have struck:’ Alberta premier criticizes new Calgary Stampede noise bylaw
CALGARY - Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says "the fun police have struck" Calgary after the city announced it's turning down the sound dial for the Calgary Stampede because music at last year's event left windows shaking and items falling off…
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