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Calgary Stampede: Celebrating Canada's Western Heritage

For 10 days in July, mild-mannered Calgarians don skin-tight wranglers, big shiny belts and even bigger Stetsons and go into "Stampede mode." Not much work gets done as cowboys, Indian princesses, ferris wheels and pancake breakfasts take hold of the city. From its humble beginnings in 1912 to the ongoing controversy over chuckwagon races, the Calgary Exhibition & Stampede continues to be Canada's annual salute to the good old days of the Wild West.

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Canada's Nobel Laureates

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Celebrating Black History

February is Black History Month. In Canada, it's a time to celebrate the achievements of black Canadians and reflect on their experiences throughout our past. CBC Digital Archives has pulled together a selection of radio and TV clips that honour black history — some of which exemplify the racism blacks have had to endure and overcome, both in Canada and around the world, while others highlight the remarkable accomplishments of extraordinary people.

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Celebrating Canada Day

On July 1, 1867, Canada took its first steps towards official nationhood. It has grown and developed as a nation, and distinguished itself in times of both peace and war. Canada is widely recognized as a place of harmony, liberty and diversity and is routinely ranked as one of the best countries in which to live. In honour of Canada's birthday, CBC Digital Archives looks back at some defining moments and great Canadians who have helped shape our history.

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Celebrations General

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Eve of the Millennium

The CBC rang in the new millennium across all six Canadian time zones with star-studded performances, fantastic fireworks and multiple renditions of Auld Lang Syne. CBC Television's marathon 26-hour New Year's worldwide special, 2000 Today, was the most ambitious live project in the corporation's history. CBC Radio ushered in the 21st century with its 20-hour live broadcast, "Champagne, Moose and Maple Syrup."

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Expo 67: Montreal Welcomes the World

Expo 67 was the most spectacular of Canada's 100th anniversary celebrations. When the Montreal Universal and International Exposition of 1967 opened on April 27, it was a gleaming futuristic spectacle and a dazzling international success. On two giant islands in the St. Lawrence River more than 50 million visitors were presented with a vision of the future.

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Halloween and Tales of Canadian Ghosts

It was the Irish pagan festival of Samhain, a night when the dead and the living edged near one another, whence came Halloween. On the night of Nov. 1, and with the dying crops, souls returned to walk the earth. Spooked pagans bolted their doors and extinguished the cooking fires that attracted witches. A rap on the door came from villagers dressed as dead relatives: "Trick or treat?" Best give the souls a treat lest they do something rotten. Canadians have kept the ancient belief in souls haunting the living alive, telling frightening ghost tales for the past 50 years, and not just on Halloween.

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Holiday Treats

Tired of the holiday hustle and bustle? Pour yourself a cup of eggnog, pull a chair up to the warm glow of the computer monitor and embrace the month of December with CBC Digital Archives. In the spirit of the season of sharing, we've unearthed a trove of Radio and TV clips about Christmas, Hanukkah, the winter solstice and Kwanzaa.

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Much Ado About Christmas: Toys, Traditions & Fun

Toys, leftover fruitcake, department store Santas, toy store mobs, last minute shoppers, enormous light displays and faith restored — it's all part of the rich tradition of Christmas. Over the years, CBC Radio and Television have documented the spiritual and material aspects of the ever-evolving Christmas holiday. 'Tis the joyous, and sometimes maddening, season of giving.

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Quebec City: 400 Years of History

The Algonquin called it Québec, or "where the river narrows." On a rocky point high above the St. Lawrence, French explorer Samuel Champlain founded the first permanent French settlement in North America on July 3, 1608. In 2008, Quebec City celebrates the 400th anniversary of Champlain's feat, and the CBC Digital Archives takes a walk through the city's storied streets and its remarkable history.

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Quebec Winter Carnival

It was a merry fete celebrating pea soup and tourtière. Revellers rejoiced in the culture of les habitants when the Quebec Winter Carnival first began in 1894. In 1955, residents of Quebec City revived the festival with new traditions in the old city. Skilled canoeists raced on the half-frozen St. Lawrence and artists built ice sculptures. But over the years purists say Le Carnaval de Québec has strayed too far from its roots, using gimmicks from Bonhomme to Brooke Shields to attract crowds.

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Trick or Treat! Halloween Across the Years

Masked, bewigged and in disguise, the voices demand: "Trick or treat!" "Halloween apples!" "Shell out, shell out, the witches are out!" It's Oct. 31, a night when Canadian kids don costumes, hold parties and knock on doors in search of candy. From apple-bobbing in the country to drag queens in the city, CBC Digital Archives takes a look at changing ways of celebrating Halloween.