Calgary Stampede chuckwagon tarp auction returns

The Calgary Stampede grounds will be alive Tuesday night as the chuckwagon canvas auction returns after a two-year hiatus.

Money raised throughout the evening event will benefit the 2022 drivers at the Stampede and throughout their racing season.

Some changes to the return of the tarp auction include the event being held at the Big Four Roadhouse, along with the public being able to attend.

“For the very first time, we have invited the general public down, we’ve got general admission tickets, also VIP tables if people are interested in that … If you love Chuckwagon racing, you want to rub elbows with the drivers, tonight’s the night to do it,” said Kristina Barnes with the Stampede said Tuesday.

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After the bidding wraps up, the Stampede will be trying out an afterparty this year that features Canadian County Music Hall of Fame singer  Charlie Major.

As the canvas auction typically gauges the interest of corporate Calgary’s involvement with Stampede, and even some calling the event a barometer of sorts for Calgary’s economy, Barnes said she’s hopeful the night will be a hit, but everyone has to remember what the past two years of uncertainty were like.

“Well the exciting and fun thing about an auction — but also a little bit scary thing about an auction — is that you never really know how it’s going to turn out,” she said.

“We do know that we have a lot of interested advertisers, or bidders — we have a number that are signed up to bid for tonight. But again, there’s that unknown that’s the great thing about an auction is we really truly don’t know how it’s going to turn out. We do know that the goal is really to support the drivers and that’s always the case with this auction.”

Something else that’s different for this year is the number of drivers. In the past, the Stampede had 36 chuckwagon drivers, while in 2022 they will have 27 due to a change in formatting for the chuckwagon race having three drivers per heat.

Barnes added with fewer drivers and “many differences” everyone has faced throughout the pandemic, the Stampede is hopeful for a good turnout; however, what the final number of money raised could be? Barnes said it would be potentially comparing it like “apples to oranges” as it’s been two years filled with uncertainty.

The event kicks off at 6 p.m. with the bidding to start at 7 p.m. For more information, click here.