The tradition of Western Showcase started in a country fair atmosphere during the 1930’s and 40’s. Homemakers and school children would submit handicrafts and baking to the Calgary Stampede for judging and exhibition. Those who organized the event were paid employees of the Stampede. Some of the volunteers with Western Showcase remember being part of this tradition while attending elementary school in Calgary.

The first volunteer committee that was the forerunner to the Western Showcase Committee started in May 1971. A letter of invitation to discuss setting up a new committee was sent to all past and present Stampede Queens and Princesses since 1965, the year the Stampede Board took over the crowning of the royalty. It was thought that after such eventful years with the Stampede, it was a shame that contact between the girls themselves was completely lost once they completed their terms. This committee was to re-open and maintain these connections. On October 23rd, 1971, 14 members of the Queen’s Alumni met in the Brand Room of the Administration Building with the idea of making a real contribution to the Calgary Exhibition and Stampede. In December 1971 the new committee called Women’s World was officially established. The first major project was to produce a fashion show-‘Fashion Royal’ in the Kinsman Centre in conjunction with Rodeo Royal in March 1972. The models were members of the committee. The Stampede then asked the committee to take over the handicrafts display and competition.

The first year the committee participated in the Stampede, it was located in the Big Four Building with tables set around the room for displays. In 1973 Women’s World moved to Flare Square where a kitchen display consisting of an ‘Old Fashioned Kitchen’, a ‘Modern Day Kitchen’ and a ‘Kitchen of the Future was set-up. Guest chefs, home economists and cowboys came to do cooking presentations in the pink tent that the Stampede had built for the committee’s use.

The committee then moved to the concourse of the Corral to continue the handicrafts display and competition. The next move was to the main floor of the Corral and included an expansion of the committee’s mandate. The Alberta Stage, the School Committee (children entered arts and crafts to be judged) and a large garden area and orchid display were added to Women’s World.

On December 13th, 1978, the Women’s World Committee officially changed its name to the Creative Living Committee. Members of the committee wanted the new name to be all inclusive and allow for growth and expansion. The move to the Big Four Building in 1979 provided additional space to bring back the popular Kitchen Theatre. The committee continued to grow to include the original Handicrafts display and competition, the Alberta Stage, Kitchen Theatre, Calligraphy and the Science Spectrum. Soon after, International Photo, which was operated and displayed elsewhere on Stampede Park, approached the committee to become a part of Creative Living.

The Western Art Show was also started at this time with The Art Gallery being added to the Creative Living Committee. The second component, added a few years later, was the Western Art Sales Salon, where artists were able to rent booths from the committee. In 1982, the Art Auction was introduced and it was held at Rotary House. Sales for that year were $73,800. Sales in 2008 reached $531,000, which included a record sale of $105,000 for the original oil painting by artist Jody Skinner of the Calgary Stampede’s 2009 poster.

Still on the move, in 1986 Creative Living found a new home in the Round-up Centre, Hall C. Floriad (a professional florist’s competition and display), Artisans Village and a yearly special feature area were added.

1996 was the 25th anniversary of the committee and a Western Cookbook was published in honour of the anniversary.

1998 marked a year of major change. After a retreat in Banff to redefine the purpose of the committee, the name was changed to Western Showcase. This better described the committee’s work within the new mission statement.

Western Showcase is dedicated to presentation, preservation and promotion of Western Heritage and Values through an exciting and quality exhibition of talent, showcasing western life, culture and traditions.

Floriad evolved into Window on the West, an entertainment stage with western entertainers, cowboy poets and exciting daily presentations.

In 2000 Western Showcase moved to Hall D to allow for more space for the various presentations and displays.

The ATCO Group of Companies sponsored the Kitchen Theatre from 2001 to 2009.  Their valuable sponsorship was instrumental in allowing the Kitchen Theatre volunteers to continue the focus of promoting local and celebrity chefs.

The Kitchen Theatre was very much a part of Western Showcase in Hall D for four years until it moved, because of space limitations, to Hall C in 2005.

In 2009, we moved back into Hall D as Western Showcase partnered with Stampede Oasis and expanded into Hall D and the new Hall E in the BMO Centre. One of the new and exciting presentations over the past 2 years had been the Dueling Chefs-where 2 of the top chefs around Calgary go head to head in a competition of culinary delights. This has drawn a huge crowd of close to 400 people. This year we are bringing back the ‘Celebrity Chef’ with an appearance of Sandi Richard, host of Fixing Dinner on the Food Network. Also this year we featured David Adjey, spokesperson for World Skills 2009, which was held at the Stampede Grounds in September this year.

2010 brings another exciting year for Kitchen Theatre and our continued partnership with Stampede Oasis. We welcome 8 new presenters this year and of course welcome back our Kids Chili Cook-off and the Dueling Chefs competition. A changeover of sponsorship occurred this year.

2011: Our new sponsor this year is Calgary Co-op.  We are excited about this as it seems like the perfect fit.  We have the police and firefighters returning for the Second Annual Police and Firefighters Cook-off.  Additionally, the Duelling Chefs competition is back for the 4th year in a row.

The Kitchen Theatre provides entertainment and non-stop cooking shows featuring Alberta producers, local chefs, and restaurateurs for the full 10 days of Stampede.