The world鈥檚 top cowboys and cowgirls, along with some of the planet鈥檚 top bucking stock, converge on the North Okanagan for the May long weekend.

The 104th edition of the Falkland Stampede runs Saturday to Monday, May 18-20, at the newly refurbished Stampede Grounds on Highway 97.

The Stampede received a major grant from the Columbia Shuswap Regional District in January.

鈥淲e have a newly covered grandstand, new fencing along the highway, and we鈥檝e done electrical upgrades,鈥� said Stampede manager Melissa Seaman. 鈥淲e鈥檙e also going to have a new concession, but it won鈥檛 be ready until 2025.鈥�

Many of the top pro rodeo athletes from Canada, the U.S. and beyond will compete over three days. The Falkland Stampede is part of the 2024 Canadian Pro Rodeo Association tour.

Trying to spoil the athletes鈥� plans are some of the best bulls and bucking horses in the world, courtesy of Falkland Stampede stock contractor Macza Pro Rodeo from High River, Alta.

The rodeo begins at 1 p.m. Saturday and Monday, and gets underway at 2 p.m. Sunday following the annual Stampede Parade along the highway.

Tim Edge from Mountain Edge Productions returns as the Stampede announcer; keeping the large crowds entertained will be professional rodeo clown Dennis Halstead, while Full Throttle Trick Riding & Yule Ponies will dazzle spectators during their halftime show performances.

Following the rodeo Saturday and Sunday, the annual Stampede dance moves from the indoor confines of the Falkland Community Hall, to outdoors, under the newly covered hockey arena on the Stampede grounds.

DJ Bonneau will spin the tunes Saturday night, and the Buck Wild Band will have the crowd dancing Sunday. Both dances start at 9 p.m.

Advance tickets for both the rodeo and dance can be purchased online at . More information on other Stampede events can be found .