It’s not often you can wear jeans to work, take a Friday off for a (non-gay pride) parade or get a free breakfast for 10 days straight, but the Calgary Stampede seems to include all quadrants of the city.

And who doesn’t want to bend the rules a tad, or take part in a little bit of Stampede nonsense, whether it’s at the grounds or across the city.  Calgarians continue to indulge in their vices even after vowing not to go down to the grounds, and this year’s 100th anniversary centennial party is one you won’t soon forget.

This year, "cow town" will be celebrating as a whole with Light up the City presented by TransAlta, which will literally be lighting up the skies in all colours of the proverbial rainbow. There are five viewing locations across the city including Elliston Park, Heritage Park, McCall Lake, Canada Olympic Park and of course Stampede Park.

The 12-minute international-level fireworks display is the largest and most sophisticated ever produced in Canada, and will not only be coordinated across the city, but also synchronized to music through its media partners at Corus Entertainment. All you have to do is turn your radio dials to Country 105, Q107 or Am770 while you watch the show. Whether you love fireworks or not, this is one colourful display you won’t want to miss.

But the park is where most of the actions will be taking place – minus the countless parties at various city watering holes – and this year you can start things off with a bang on a brand new ride, in honour of the centennial.

Calgary Stampede spokesperson Jennifer Booth says this year’s hot new attraction is the longest temporary zip line in Canada at 950-feet, where visitors will experience the grounds from new heights, travelling up to 60 km/hr.

"We are thrilled to have this experience on the park for our guests," Booth says, adding the lines are 118 feet in the air. "It’s definitely going to be a thrilling ride."

The $40 experience is definitely going to be a hit with about 100 riders per hour, equating to over 1,000 each day, but Booth is confident the Centennial Zip Line will run efficiently with riders having an option to book the time they want to go.

"People won’t have to wait in line for hours for this ride, which is a bonus, they can pick their time and go do what they want and come back."

Another must-see attraction this year is the Enmax Corral show called Tails. Three horses, one legend, Tails takes the audience on a mythical journey.

"The horses are really the stars of this show," Booth says. "There will be special effects and amazing tricks – it’s really quite a production."

While everyone loves the rodeo, be sure to stick around afterward for this year’s TransAlta Grandstand Show featuring the handsome and talented Alberta-born Paul Brandt.  The show features elaborate song and dance from hits of the past 100 years with comedy, daring acrobatics and more.

"It’s a fast-paced, exciting finale that will entertain the audience throughout," Booth says. "It’s going to be amazing."

And we can’t forget about the food. With 17 new offerings for us to try, plus old staples – hello Mini Donuts – you’ll likely be eating a lot. Deep fried wagon wheels? Check. Cotton candy cupcakes? Got that. Taco pizza? Okay! Sausage... on a stick? Sign us up! Don’t worry; you can work it off later.

But even if you have food allergies, Booth says you can still get in on the culinary action.

"People are more aware of their food sensitivities now and we want to make sure everyone has a chance to eat," Booth says. "There are a number of options for people with gluten or wheat allergies this year."

Lastly, we can’t talk about the Stampede without mentioning the musical acts. For the price of admission you can take in shows on the Coca-Cola stage, including: Miss "Call Me Maybe" herself, Carley Rae Jepson; the catchy Dragonnette, soulful K’naan; rocking Our Lady Peace and country singer George Canyon. But there is so much more, not even considering the Nashville North stage where you’re sure to see lots of hot guys in tight jeans and sexy ladies in boots. Then there are the many musical acts happening across the city, including of course, Garth Brooks, the Beach Boys, electronic music DJ Morgan Page and so, so much more.

If cowboys aren’t quite your thing but guys in uniform are, you might want to check out the Canadian Navy display at the park, as they are also celebrating their centennial year. Hello, sailor!

"This year is unlike any other and we really just wanted to knock it out of the park," Booth says. "We want to see smiles on people’s faces. This is a city where you can step off of the plane and the feel something is happening... The whole city embraces the Stampede spirit and that’s what it’s all about. We’re really excited to celebrate with the city."