Roberta Shelton

Country Thunder cannot blame City noise rules that it said, two days ago, would not affect their event. I was really disappointed to see Country Thunder throw the City and music fans under the bus today by falsely blaming our noise rules for cancelling their concert. They are plainly trying to take advantage of the noise and misinformation around this and bluntly hoping that you wouldn't look at the facts. Just two days ago, Country Thunder told CityNews that things were going well and that the City’s noise rules would not affect its event. This and other articles clearly state that the organizers say the changes won't impact their operations. Their own staff are quoted saying, “Our curfew for our festival has always been 11 p.m.” So blaming a midnight music cutoff for shutting down your concert that ends at 11 p.m. is absolutely bogus. Country Thunder was never part of the debate over whether the downtown tents should end at 2am or midnight. In fact, the City actually increased the allowable music volume for Country Thunder this year. Now, two days after saying things were going great, Country Thunder says sound limits made their event impossible. Those statements do not line up. Even their statements about construction are easily debunked, because our teams have been working really closely with them for months now. I am not going to speculate about why they made this decision to so grossly mislead the public. I'm not going to speculate on how the massive rain this weekend was going to impact their sales. And I'm not going to speculate on how the news of their headliner Kane Brown pulling out of concerts was going to impact sales. But it's crystal clear Country Thunder made a business decision that cannot blamed on the city noise rules. I'm really disappointed for ticket holders, workers, vendors, performers, local businesses, and every music fan who planned to attend. Calgary supports great events, live music, tourism, and jobs. But the facts matter. And organizers need to be honest with their customers and take responsibility for their decisions.

Yesterday, Council debated changes to the noise limits for the Cowboys Music Festival following significant concerns from nearby residents about excessive noise and sleep disruption. I supported Councillor Chabot’s amendment, which would have reduced the permitted volume by 3 dB. While that may sound like a small change, a 3 dB reduction represents approximately a 50% reduction in sound energy. I was also advised by a professional sound engineer that, combined with rotating the stage to direct sound away from surrounding residential buildings, this change would be sufficient to eliminate the noise bylaw issues experienced last year. My vote was guided by one principle: respecting nearby residents and ensuring they can enjoy their homes and get a good night’s sleep during Stampede. Council ultimately chose a different approach and approved an even larger reduction of 5 dB. I am supportive of that outcome as well. The important thing is that action was taken to address the concerns that residents raised. Whether the reduction was 3 dB or 5 dB, my objective was the same: find a practical solution that allows these events to continue while being respectful of the surrounding community. This year, I plan to visit the area during the festival and experience the noise levels firsthand. I will spend time both near the venue and in the surrounding residential areas to better understand the impact of the changes that were approved. That firsthand experience, combined with feedback from residents and enforcement data, will help inform any future discussions about whether additional adjustments are needed.

Country Thunder cannot blame City noise rules that it said, two days ago, would not affect their event. I was really disappointed to see Country Thunder throw the City and music fans under the bus today by falsely blaming our noise rules for cancelling their concert. They are plainly trying to take advantage of the noise and misinformation around this and bluntly hoping that you wouldn't look at the facts. Just two days ago, Country Thunder told CityNews that things were going well and that the City’s noise rules would not affect its event. This and other articles clearly state that the organizers say the changes won't impact their operations. Their own staff are quoted saying, “Our curfew for our festival has always been 11 p.m.” So blaming a midnight music cutoff for shutting down your concert that ends at 11 p.m. is absolutely bogus. Country Thunder was never part of the debate over whether the downtown tents should end at 2am or midnight. In fact, the City actually increased the allowable music volume for Country Thunder this year. Now, two days after saying things were going great, Country Thunder says sound limits made their event impossible. Those statements do not line up. Even their statements about construction are easily debunked, because our teams have been working really closely with them for months now. I am not going to speculate about why they made this decision to so grossly mislead the public. I'm not going to speculate on how the massive rain this weekend was going to impact their sales. And I'm not going to speculate on how the news of their headliner Kane Brown pulling out of concerts was going to impact sales. But it's crystal clear Country Thunder made a business decision that cannot blamed on the city noise rules. I'm really disappointed for ticket holders, workers, vendors, performers, local businesses, and every music fan who planned to attend. Calgary supports great events, live music, tourism, and jobs. But the facts matter. And organizers need to be honest with their customers and take responsibility for their decisions.

Independence isn't on the ballot in October, but Albertans do have a choice: 1) Accept the current system as tax-slaves with no leverage or authority over our own future and prosperity. 2) Leverage for a new deal, or the chance to build something entirely new. Choose Alberta.

🚨 BREAKING NEWS CALGARY 🚨 Country Thunder Music Festivals Alberta 2026 has officially been cancelled, and people have every right to be pissed. According to Country Thunder, they were in direct talks with the City of Calgary trying to fix escalating issues — active construction, loss of critical infrastructure, and a restrictive noise bylaw — and now the festival is gone. This is not some small little event. This affects vendors, hotels, restaurants, workers, food trucks, local businesses, and thousands of people who were looking forward to a massive weekend in Calgary. Once again, City Hall gets involved and regular people pay the price. Mayor Jeromy Farkas and council need to hear from the people on this one. Not in some quiet little comment section. In person. There is a Ward 12 Town Hall on June 25 from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at the Seton YMCA Theater with Councillor Jamieson and Mayor Farkas. Show up. Be vocal. Be respectful. But do not let them brush this off like it doesn’t matter. Calgary should be open for business, not chasing away major events and crushing the small businesses that count on them. A huge thank you to John Williams from Alberta Public Affairs for advocating for small businesses in this province and putting us onto this story. Share this out and make sure people know where to be on June 25. (See attached graphics for full statement)