b'Stampede Spirit Shines BrightWhen it came to safety, our team went above and beyond what was required. We coordinated with health authorities, government officials, our sponsors and our many valued partners. Together, we built an annual Stampede celebration unlike any other, with the layout of Stampede Park giving people room to roam while still enjoying their favourite experiences like the adrenalin and excitement of the Stampede Rodeo and Evening Show, the cultural experience of Elbow River Camp, the rides and tasty treats of the Midway, and so much more. If the past couple of years have taught us anything, its that we can make connections and celebrate with our community in many different ways: from the Calgary Stampede Foundations youth programs, to the Pop-Up Stampede experiences with our newest Calgarians, to participating in community initiatives such as the United Ways Basic Needs Drive and Field of Crosses. Through those initiatives, we continued to create powerful connections with authentic and entertaining experiences, while preserving and promoting our western heritage, cultures and community spirit.Beyond the ten days of Stampede 2021, we also saw the safe return of other live events to Stampede Park and the BMO Centre due in large part to the work put together by the Stampede team to achieve the Global Biorisk Advisory Council(GBAC) STAR, joining an exclusive group of leaders in the industry. This accreditation program verifies that we have implemented the best practices to prepare for, respond to and recover from outbreaks and pandemics like COVID-19. From marathons, to consumer shows, to country Throughout a 109-year history, themusic concerts and major sporting events, we continued to be a safe gathering place for our community in Calgary Stampede has always been2021, while participating in the Alberta Governments Restrictions Exemption Program.We also made significant progress towards the achievement of the Stampedes Strategic Plan outcomesa trailblazer. In 2021, we were proudand the creation of a world-class, year-round gathering place for the community. We broke ground on the to lead the way as our community$500 million BMO Centre expansion, which will be a hallmark of our changing city, will have a true impact on our skyline and economy, and will act as an anchor in Calgarys new Culture + Entertainment district.celebration took the very first step inWe are also progressing toward the opening of the 17th Avenue extension and Victoria Park/Stampede Station rebuild, which will see Stampede Park opened up for direct access from 17th Avenue for the firstthe safe return to live events for ourtime in 40 years. Work is also underway on the SAM Centre. When it opens in 2023, SAM will bring to life Calgarys and Southern Albertas Stampede Story through immersive, interactive and engaging experiences. cityand our country.Stampede Park is changing quickly, and in very exciting ways!We have many achievements to celebrate as we move forward in 2022; however, we also recognize there will continue to be great challenges ahead. As a not-for-profit organization, and along with our partners in the 2021tourism and hospitality industry, the Stampede continues to face significant financial impacts as a result of was a year of ever-changing circumstances. Many of the achievementsthe pandemic.We are grateful for the support we have received from our government partners through of the past year looked different than we might have expected;financial assistance programs as recognized on page 23 of this report.however, they remained very much aligned with the objectives of our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan. Stampede volunteers and employees continued to find waysWe rose to the challenge of 2021 and, together with our Stampede family and our community, we will look to adapt and maintain momentum in a complicated landscape. With a reduced workforce,to 2022 with renewed hope and optimism, and a vision towards the exciting experiences that lie ahead!and financial challenges, our attention was focused on the priorities that would sustain the Calgary Stampede through another challenging year.Our primary focus was to put on the best and safest annual celebration possible in 2021. As a result, our community saw many much-needed benefits with thousands of seasonal jobs created and significant positive impacts for our tourism industry partners and local restaurants and businesses. We are so proud of how our team rose to the challenge, and how our community embraced our safety measures, ensuring Stampede Spirit shoneSteve McDonoughJoel Cowleybrightly in our community through 2021. President &Chairman of the Board Chief Executive Officer2 2021 CALGARY STAMPEDE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 2021 CALGARY STAMPEDE REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY 3'