Thousands of people lined the streets to take in the sights and sounds as the parade stampeded through downtown Calgary.

Dave Neilly staked out his spot and stayed overnight to secure a prime spot along the four kilometre parade route.

Neilly's been coming to the Stampede since he moved to Calgary10 years ago.

"I think the thing with Calgary and the stampede it's just wonderful Calgary gets fully into the stampede spirit for the full ten days. It’s really is something people should come see.”

It’s street marshal Judy Woods job to get the crowd going.

"A lot of people have been here since five or six in the morning,” said Woods.

“[They’re] kind of getting a little lethargic, you gotto get ’em going, get ’em pumped up.”

The Calgary Stampede runs until July 15.