When it comes to clubs and venues in Calgary, Ranchman’s at 9615 Macleod Trail South is the granddaddy of them all. The iconic building, part bunkhouse, part corral, part barn at heart, opened near what was then the edge of the city in 1971.
Not to be confused with that other iconic space, The Ranchmen’s Club, Ranchman’s describes itself as Calgary’s greatest honky tonk bar and is undeniably the host to the real cowboys and cowgirls of the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association.
During its first decade in business, the place got two enormous boosts. First, radio and television star Ian Tyson bought land south of the city and thus began playing regular gigs at Ranchman’s. Second, Urban Cowboy hit movie screens in 1980, and suddenly country bars were hot and mechanical bulls were in.
Having worked at Ranchman’s for 38 years before it closed in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, and returning for the re-opening under new ownership in 2022, marketing director Wendy Daniel has seen it all.
“In the early days, Ranchman’s truly was home to the professional rodeo cowboys and cowgirls,” Daniel says. “It was a small, tight-knit community.”
“We have had such outstanding artists … over the years. Keith Urban, Eric Church, Jason Aldean all performed on our stage. I toured Toby Keith in Alberta to A-circuit nightclubs in 1989 prior to his recording success of Should’ve Been a Cowboy. Shania Twain had her The Woman in Me release party at Ranchman’s.”
Since the re-opening, Nate Smith, Drake Milligan, and Zach Top have all played there.
“The new ownership kept the soul of Ranchman’s,” Danieal says. “For example, pre-existing rodeo photographs on the walls — but added modern twists such as a video wall behind the stage, state-of-the-art sound and lighting, all new TVs, new tables and chairs, [and a] new dance floor on the top part of the room, which we call the Saloon.”
Monthly concerts and dinner shows have continued to be popular. Free dance lessons Wednesday through Saturday are taught by world-champion dance instructors. And if you really want a night to remember, book a complimentary limo for your group of six to 23 and skip the cover charge while moving directly to the VIP lineup upon arrival through the bar’s Arrive in Style program (click on the “Free Limo” tab on the website to sign up).
When the bar shut down in 2020, 140 trophy saddles were on display at the venue. “I personally worked for two weeks out of my own time to get the trophy saddles and memorabilia back to the cowboys and cowgirls who owned them,” Daniel says. “Proudly, we have received quite a number of trophy saddles back for display.”
Menu staples like burgers, smoked ribs, quesadillas and smoked “Berta beef” (fear not – the Caesar salad offers fresh greens) are also back. It’s the kind of hearty fare needed to fuel the crowd that comes for a night of drinking and dancing. The venue has a capacity of 800 people inside, 400 on the patios, and 600 people in the Stampede event tent, and its popularity seems to have been undiminished for successive generations of urban cowboys.
Music, dancing, food, drink and memories have all returned pretty much unchanged from Ranchman’s former days. “It’s Ranchman’s! It is a Calgary landmark — an institution!”
Stampede Highlights
Ranchman’s is one of the top off-grounds destinations to get yourself in the Stampede state of mind.
This year’s Stampede highlights include Fort Worth’s Drake Milligan July 7, an all-ages show featuring a Taylor Swift tribute band July 9, Washington State’s Zach Top July 11 and smooth-voiced Alberta up-and-comer Travis Dolter in the Stampede event tent July 6. And between the highlights, there are country musicians playing most days starting around 4 pm.
Dancer Appreciation night on July 3 could see you winning some great prizes — and if you’re not yet a great dancer, you can take advantage of the free lessons to get your boot-scootin’ up to the snuff. On July 8, from noon to 8 pm, you can take part in the Line Dance Bust Out with a full workday’s worth of line dance workshops from local and international choreographers.
Lest you think there’s nothing new under the big barn roof, check out the Ride the Ranch “Spin-pede” pass, co-hosted with YYCCycle, which gets you a pass to a Ride the Ranch fundraiser spin event at Ranchman’s July 4 and a 10-day Ranchman’s tent pass.
Check out the full lineup of events, learn more about this storied venue, and grab tickets at ranchmans.ca
