The G8 summit is less than 10 days away and so is another high-profile Calgary event, but if you were new to Calgary, you probably wouldn't know it because the visible signs of the Stampede have been delayed.
While Stampede organizers feel the summit will have a positive effect on the city, merchants who exemplify the Stampede say it's a much different story.
Several merchants have pulled back from getting into the Stampede spirit and are more focused on protection from protesters.
The Calgary Stampede is the city's most popular festival and puts it on the map.
This year, more than 1 million people are expected to attend the 10-day event.
This time, however, the spirit of the Stampede is being overshadowed by the G8 summit held at the end of June.
Usually Stampede preparations are well underway with western-themed decorations lining the streets, but due to the G8, several merchants are rounding up their decorations inside keeping them away from anti-G8 activists.
"On a preventative measure it's probably best to have things, which can be used in rioting as weapons or for vandalism, removed until after G8," Debbie Smyth of Lammle's Western Wear told Global News on Tuesday.
Bob Bradley, owner of Buzzards Cowboy Cuisine, sees cowboys show up in droves during Stampede, but expects this year to be different.
"If G8 is filling all the hotel rooms, the tourist trade and the business traveler won't be there as much as they normally would," he said.
But, Stampede organizers believe the G8 will actually be good for business.
"We get a chance to introduce about 2,500 worldwide journalists to the life in Calgary and the Stampede," Stampede president Roger Jarvis said, "and I think it'll help us in future Stampedes as well."
"It's going to be a great impact for us," Tourism Calgary's Joe Fardell said. "It'll pump in close to $193 million of economic spin off into Calgary itself."
Tourism officials say the number of international visitors coming for Stampede has dropped off, but they hope that will change.
Many of the overseas delegates attending G8 are planning to stay over for the Stampede.
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