Fresh off Winter Olympic medal wins, Courtney Sarault and Mikael Kingsbury will lead the Calgary Stampede parade come July 3.
The Calgary Stampede made the announcement June 3, 30 days out from the official start of this year’s Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Sarault, a short-track speed skater from Moncton, New Brunswick, and the Quebec-born freestyle skier Kingsbury, captured six medals between them at the recent Milano-Cortina Winter Games.
“Attending the Calgary Stampede has long been a dream of mine, so the opportunity to take part as Parade Marshal is surreal and thrilling,” said Sarault, via news release.
“Calgary has been a big part of my journey – I trained in Calgary at the Olympic Oval for a few years, so Calgary has a really special place in my heart. I’m so excited to join everyone in this celebration.”
Kingsbury said he’s honoured to be a parade marshal for the Calgary Stampede.
“I’ve had a lot of success in Calgary throughout my career – my first World Cup start and the place where I have the most World Cup wins – so it holds a pretty special place in my heart,” he said.
Calgary Stampede President and Chair of the Board, Stuart O’Connor said that both athletes embody the passion, perseverance and excellence celebrated by the Calgary Stampede.
“As world-class athletes who have inspired youth on a global stage, they are fitting ambassadors and we are proud to welcome them as our 2026 Parade Marshals and continue the Stampede’s long tradition of celebrating Canada’s Olympians,” he said.
The Calgary Stampede parade goes at 9 a.m. on Friday, July 3, with early activities beginning at 7:30 a.m. After that, there’s free admission to the Calgary Stampede grounds from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
