今年7月4日是STAMPEDE節開始的第一天，盛大的STAMPEDE PARADE (遊行)從上午8點一直持續到12點。遊行所經過街道的兩旁擠滿了興致勃勃前來觀看的卡城人，遊行的人和觀看的觀眾互動非常熱烈，歡呼聲一陣接一陣，此起彼落。那種熱情，那種情景往往使人心中有這樣的想法: 這個節日是每年一次嗎？不會是100年一次吧，否則人們的熱情怎麽會那麽高漲！？
STAMPEDE節每年一次。關於這個節日得曆史及發展請看以下的英文說明:
The Calgary Stampede, which bills itself as The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth, is a large, for-profitfestival, exhibition, and rodeo held in Calgary, Alberta for 10 days every summer from early to mid-July. It is one of Canada's largest annual events, and the world's largest outdoor rodeo. It features an internationally recognized rodeo competition, a midway, stage shows, concerts, agricultural competitions, chuckwagon races, First Nations exhibitions, and pancake breakfasts around the city, among other attractions. In 2006, record-breaking attendance at the 10-day rodeo and exhibition totalled 1,262,518. The Stampede Parade which occurs on opening day, is one of the festival's oldest and largest traditions. It is led by the Calgary Stampede Showband and follows a 4.5 km route in downtown Calgary. Attendance at the parade is usually about 350,000. The parade is also televised and has a viewing audience of over 2 million. During Stampede Week, the city is flooded with tourists who join locals in the spirited atmosphere by dressing in western attire. A large number of businesses decorate their stores and offices in western style, usually starting in June and remaining to after the Stampede ends.Beltline District. The park is easily accessed via Calgary Transit's light rail system, the C-Train. Permanent structures at the site include the Pengrowth Saddledome (hockey arena), the Round-Up Centre (a convention and exhibition facility), the Stampede Casino, the grandstand/racetrack, the agriculture building, and a number of smaller buildings.
每年STAMPEDE，身穿牛仔服頭頂牛仔帽的打扮隨處可見，人人臉上洋溢著節日的微笑。雖然年年都是老樣子，但“老外”們依然興致不減，興趣盎然。在我們看來，這老掉牙的傳統值得這樣嗎?
是的！這些想法我們不是現在就有的，出國前的十幾年對待我們傳統節日的態度就是這個樣子。想一想那時，一到過年就感覺沒有意思: “不就是放幾天假，胡吃海塞幾天嗎，真沒勁”。這樣的說法非常流行，甚至很時尚。仔細想一想，我們春節的傳統比這裏的節日不知早多少年；文化性比它們的不知強多少倍。貼春聯，放鞭炮，逛廟會，吃傳統地道的小吃等這些曾經讓人戀戀不舍的事情，不知何時變成了“沒勁”的代名詞了。為什麽？千思不得其解。是我們天生就有喜新厭舊的本能？好象是。君不見，國內有多少“二奶”和“二爺”；好象也不是。在台灣和香港“二奶”現象也比較普遍，但他們對春節等傳統的節日非常重視。是我們具有勇於革新，打破舊的條條框框的傳統？到底是什麽，各位朋友HELP ME OUT ON THE ISSUE。
