Formed in 1988 as a high-energy marching show band for Calgary and area Senior High School students, the Calgary Stetson Show Band offers opportunities for personal development, advanced musicianship, performance, and travel. In their distinct black and gold uniforms, the band proudly represents Calgary, Alberta, and Canada with a unique combination of tradition and innovation.  The Calgary Stetson Show Band is pleased to be celebrating its 20th year in 2008! 

Over the years the band has won numerous awards in parades and performances across North America and Europe, including performances at Disneyland in California, and Euro Disney in Paris, France.  

In 1995, the Calgary Stetson Show Band travelled overseas to participate in the International Music Festival in Besana Brianza Italy. Well over 20,000 people crowded the town square to view the Band Performance on the final night of the festival. They were awarded the Festival Cup for outstanding achievements. Other trip highlights included performances in the Milan region, and tours of Pisa, Venice, Florence, and Rome. 

At the 1996 World Association of Marching Show Bands competition, the Calgary Stetson Show Band received a First Prize, and was ranked first in the Senior Division AA Community Harmony Band category. Following the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede, they travelled to Edmonton, where they were awarded Best Overall Band in the Edmonton Klondike Days Parade and Overall Champions in the Green and Gold Rush Show Band Competition. 

During the summer of 1997, the Calgary Stetson Show Band completed a successful tour of Southern California, where they competed in the Summer Bands International Championships. The band received caption awards for High Visual, High Music, and High Drum Major, as well as placing third overall in the competition.  

In 1999, the season culminated in a European performance tour that took the band to Germany and Switzerland. They once again competed at the International Days of Music in Rastede, Germany, and placed first overall. The band also participated at the prestigious World Youth Music Festival in Zurich, Switzerland, and placed second overall for their field show. 

2002 took the Show Band to Japan to participate in the World Association of Marching Show Bands Championships where they won first prize awards for their performances at the Championship. The band travelled to the United Kingdom to participate at the 2004 World Championship, held in Bournemouth, England, The tour included a wonderful variety of lifetime experiences for the members. In addition to actively performing and interacting with bands from around the world they were a 1^st prizewinner, placing 8^th overall. In August 2006 the band travelled to Jeju, Korea where they performed their “Acres of Dreams’ program in the World Championship for Marching Show bands finishing top 12.

In 2007, the band planned a nine-day bus tour to Wisconsin and Illinois to join the MACBDA (Mid-America Competing Band Directors Association) Tour Circuit, which culminated at the MACBDA Grand Championships held in Calgary on July 11. The final result being the band has been invited to the 2009 World Marching Band Championships in Holland. 

Our 2008 adventure was a bus and sleeping bag tour.The Calgary Stetson Show Band was the opening act each day for the Billy Barker Days parade and three-day rodeo in Quesnel, BC.  The people of the town were WONDERFUL...what great hospitality.

We jumped off of a bus from BC and on to an airplane to Malaysia representing Canada at the KLWMBC (Kuala Lumper World Marching Band Competition). The band finished 5th with an award of gold.  The people, the music, the food, an experience we will NEVER forget.

2009 off to Europe from July 13 to August 4.

Our first stop is Basel Switzerland.  Playing in the Basel Tattoo for eleven (11) sold out performances rain or shine!!! The youngest cast members that the Tattoo has ever had perform. We made many new friends.  Thank you to the organizing committee that invited us.  We LOVED every minute of our stay and your beautiful town.

July 26 load the bussess. We are on our way to Kerkrade, Netherlands for the WAMBS (World Association of Marching Band Championship) finals. We qualified for this event in 2007 and the time has now come to shine!!!! We finish seventh with a score of 85.94.  

The sightseeing on this tour was spectacular. A boat ride on the Rhine, an adventure at Europa-Park (popular theme park in Germany), a walk through of the Vincent Van Gogh Exhibit, an exciting ride on the Cog Wheel Railway/Gondola, a view of the Augusta Raurica Museum and the Stetson Show Band version of "The Amazing Race".  The most somber activity but one which will be most  in our minds always is our visit to Vimy Ridge, Tyncott Cemetary, Passchendaele and Flanders Fields.  WE WILL NEVER FORGET.