Calgary 
The Calgary Stampede has revealed its 2026 poster, marking another addition to the long tradition of artwork celebrating the spirit and culture of the event known as The Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Credit: Calgary Stampede
The announcement coincides with ticket sales for the 2026 Stampede Rodeo and Evening Show, scheduled for July 3–12, 2026.
Titled When the Grass Dances, the 20-by-30-inch acrylic painting portrays Tyrone Sitting Eagle of the Siksika Nation, Champion Junior Men’s Grass Dancer at the 2024 Stampede Powwow.
The artist, Dayna Loepp, created the work after being inspired by a traditional dance performance she witnessed at Elbow River Camp in 2023. Sitting Eagle, whose family has been Tipi Holders for nearly 40 years, collaborated with her during the project.
Loepp, 22, was born in Steinbach, Manitoba, and is completing a Bachelor of Design at the Alberta University of the Arts.
The work reflects the long-standing relationship between the Calgary Stampede and First Nations communities, first established in 1912 through Elbow River Camp.
Loepp is the eighth Alberta youth to design a Stampede poster since the Youth Poster Competition began in 2018. As the 2026 winner, she receives the $10,000 Dustin Peers Memorial Scholarship, with another $10,000 distributed among finalists.
The 2026 poster is part of the Branded: The Art of Calgary Stampede Posters exhibit at Sam Centre, open until October 14. Applications for the 2027 Youth Poster Competition are open to Alberta artists aged 15 to 24 until December 5, 2025.
