Edmonton’s six days of western sport and culture drew a larger crowd than the year before for its 52nd Canadian Finals Rodeo (CFR) spectacle. Explore Edmonton organizers say 43,903 guests came to Rogers Place from last Wednesday to Saturday night to watch two and four-legged athletes compete. Last year, the event boasted some 40,000 guests, filled 18,000 hotel rooms and generated nearly $33 million in economic growth for the city. This year’s financial number was not yet available. The Canadian Finals Rodeo is one of Edmonton’s most popular sporting events, this year involving 120 volunteers from the ages of 15 to 85 and 40 local businesses offering western-themed menu items and specials. Across 12 rodeo events, seven Albertan athletes took top prizes. The full list of event champions: CFR has been lassoing guests since 1974, largely in Edmonton with a brief stint in Red Deer after signing a 10-year contract in 2018. The event was then cancelled, however, in 2020 for the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to the capital city in 2024. Next year’s event will once again be held in Edmonton, with dates and tickets to be announced “at a later date,” Explore Edmonton said.
