Stampede music festivals face stricter noise rules, operators push back
Concerts must now end at midnight on weeknights, with noise limits cut by 5 decibels. The Cowboys Music Festival operator says the city didn't consult them first.
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The City of Calgary has tightened noise and music restrictions for Stampede-time outdoor concerts, sparking pushback from major festival operators who say they weren't consulted.
Effective this year, weeknight concerts must end at midnight, with cool-down music allowed until 12:30 a.m. Noise levels have been reduced before midnight from 75 dBA to 70 dBA, and bass levels from 85 dBC to 80 dBC. After-midnight weekend restrictions also dropped from 65 dBA to 60 dBA.
A June 17 memo from Ryan Pleckaitis, the city's Chief of Community Standards, stated the changes aim to "balance a safe, vibrant Stampede experience with reduced impacts on surrounding residents." Last year, 125 of 225 noise complaints came from the Cowboys Music Festival on the west end of downtown, which moved from its Stampede grounds location to the former Millennium Park site next to Mewata Armoury.
Paul Vickers, founding partner of Penny Lane Entertainment (which operates the Cowboys Music Festival), objected in a letter obtained by LiveWire Calgary, saying the bylaw change "will prevent us from delivering and operating a world-class event."
Pleckaitis said the city also received complaints of social disorder, public urination, and excessive intoxication during festival week. "We made the decision that we needed to do something this year," he said.
Mayor Jeromy Farkas called the Cowboys Park arrangement, which he inherited from the previous administration, problematic but said the city must adhere to its contractual terms to avoid liability.