What we do
The Williams Lake Stampede Parade Society — better known in town as the Stampede Parade Committee — organises the annual Stampede Parade. That means inviting and scheduling bands, processing entries, judging seven classifications, arranging route security, thanking sponsors, and putting nearly 60 volunteers on the street on parade morning.
The result is a free, family-friendly parade that draws an estimated 15,000 spectators and more than 140 entries to downtown Williams Lake each year, and which opens the week of the Williams Lake Stampede.
How the parade is funded
The parade receives no admission revenue — it is free for everyone to watch. It runs on the generosity of community-minded businesses, organizations and groups, supported by individual volunteers. Sponsors are recognised at four levels:
- Platinum — the largest contributors, whose banners are carried along the route
- Gold — major community and business supporters
- Silver — local businesses and media partners
- Bronze — local trades, services and retailers
Scouts Canada carry the platinum and gold sponsor banners, and the Harley Owners Group (HOG) provides parade route security.
See the full sponsor list and how to sponsor →
How we are organised
The committee is made up of volunteer directors, each responsible for one part of parade day — the chairman and parade marshal, the staging marshal, and directors for registration, judging, media, security and band coordination. Directors are drawn from the community and give their time without payment.
Our history
The parade grew out of a 1919 picnic and day of cowboy sports held when the Pacific Great Eastern Railway reached the Williams Lake valley. Within a year it had become the first official Williams Lake Stampede, complete with a parade of mounted cowboys. Apart from a wartime suspension between 1939 and 1947, it has run every year since.
Read the full parade history →
Working with the community
The parade is one part of Stampede week in Williams Lake. The committee works alongside the Williams Lake Stampede Association, the City of Williams Lake, the Williams Lake & District Credit Union, local school and service groups, and the many businesses listed on our sponsor page.
Get involved
There are three ways to take part in the parade:
- Enter it — as a float, band, horse group, horse-drawn entry, vintage vehicle, clown, mascot or theme entry. Most entries are free.
- Sponsor it — put your business in front of an estimated 15,000 spectators on parade day.
- Volunteer — nearly 60 people work on parade day alone, plus many more in the weeks leading up to it.
Contact the society
Williams Lake Stampede Parade Committee
c/o Williams Lake Visitor Information Centre
1148 South Broadway, Williams Lake, BC, Canada
Phone: (250) 398-2902
Email: ward@freightlinerwl.com