Why were there fireworks in Calgary on Tuesday?

Twitter user @astrocalluna shared this photo of fireworks coming from Stampede Park on Tuesday, March 21, 2023. (Twitter/@astrocallun)

Plenty of Calgarians were surprised to hear the sound of fireworks ringing through the city on Tuesday night.

Residents living downtown rushed to their windows and clambered to their balconies to see a bright fireworks display coming from the Stampede grounds, a sight that's common during the Stampede's 10-day run in July but not so much in March.

The professional and lengthy fireworks display started at around 9:30 p.m. and lasted for roughly 10 minutes.

As it turns out, the Calgary Stampede was celebrating 100 years of chuckwagon racing and 100 years of pancake breakfasts in the community.

"Last night, we hosted a spring kickoff event and did a test run of our fireworks display, which is an iconic part of the Evening Show experience," said Shannon Greer, communications and media relations managers for the Calgary Stampede.

"With only 107 days to go, we are gearing up for the start of Stampede 2023."

Tickets for the Calgary Stampede's 2023 Evening Show are on sale and available at CalgaryStampde.com/tickets.