Calgary Stampede unveils 2026 showcase poster

Dayna Loepp, 22, is the winner of the 2026 Calgary Stampede poster competition. (Supplied)

Calgary Stampede officials have released the poster for the next edition of the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.

Created by 22-year-old Dayna Loepp, When the Grass Dances is an illustration of Tyrone Sitting Eagle, a champion grass dancer who competed at the 2024 Calgary Stampede Powwow.

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Loepp, who grew up in Steinbach, Man., was captivated by the sights and sounds of the Elbow River Camp when she visited the Stampede in 2023. During that trip, she became inspired by the performances, leading her to create her work.

“Watching the First Nations dancers, I can’t express it any other way except beautiful and meaningful,” said Loepp in a news release.

“It left me wanting to learn more about Elbow River Camp and the Stampede, and it all came together during this year’s competition, when I was introduced to Tyrone through the program. Getting to know him, learning about his dances and his family’s traditions made a deep impact on me, and I hope that others see that come through in my painting.”

Sitting Eagle, who worked with Loepp through the whole process, says he hopes the poster will encourage people to visit the Elbow River Camp in 2026.

“I think the painting turned out awesome. Dayna really captured the movement of me dancing, even better than in the original reference photo,” he said.

Loepp won the youth poster competition on her third year participating. She was awarded $20,000 in scholarships, making the competition one of the largest art awards in Canada.

The Calgary Stampede is accepting applications for the 2027 Youth Poster Competition, which is open to Alberta youth between 15 and 24 years old.

The application deadline is Dec. 5, 2025.

The 2026 edition of the Calgary Stampede runs from July 3 to 12, 2026.