Outdoor festival noise complaints rise during Stampede week, Badlands issued ticket
Cowboys Music Festival received 40 complaints, while Badlands was cited after exceeding noise limits. City says all event organizers knew exemption terms months in advance.
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The City of Calgary received 70 noise complaints stemming from outdoor music festivals during the first days of the Stampede, with one festival already receiving an enforcement ticket.
Cowboys Music Festival accounted for 40 complaints, roughly the same as last year at this point. Badlands Music Festival complaints rose to 15 from 6 in 2025, while National Saloon received 15, Whisky Rose received 5, and Mexifest received 1.
Calgary peace officers take noise readings nightly in nearby residential neighbourhoods. Cowboys Music Festival has remained below its maximum decibel limit per its noise exemption. Badlands, however, exceeded the limit and was issued a ticket now under review.
"We strongly encourage event organizers to adjust decibel levels to comply with their noise exemption permit and to avoid escalating enforcement action," a city news release stated.
The city's noise bylaw drew significant political controversy before Stampede, with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre weighing in after Cowboys Music Festival owner Paul Vickers complained. Mayor Jeromy Farkas pushed back, noting operators knew the terms months in advance. City council voted to keep the noise limits, and Ward 1 Councillor Kim Tyers' attempts to change the bylaw were defeated.
California-based Country Thunder cancelled its planned festival partly citing the noise bylaw, though the city said it had offered them an exemption and increased limits. The city will provide an updated noise complaint count on July 9.
