Some start to salivate at the mention of mini donuts. Others are put in a tizzy over the thought of real-as-spit, wrangler-clad cowboys roaming the streets for 10 days. For me, my Stampede enjoyment quotient depends largely on who is lined up to play the Coke Stage down on the grounds.
To that end, I was happy to be invited to the Coca-Cola Covert Concert at Flames Central last week, where two of this year’s Coke stage acts (shrouded in mystery until they took the stage) played in-between the formal announcement of this years acts. Cocktails and live music was like, well, music to my ears, and I danced and drank (ahem, sipped in a ladylike manner) in the VIP section until the last note was played.
Manitoba’s Doc Walker took to the stage first, instantly reigniting everyone’s passion for country music, whether you came in a country fan or not—during the Stampede there is simply no choice in the matter. (Best to acquiesce to that way of thinking now if it’s your first time.)
Default rocked the stage next, and will again come July. At just the cost of admission to Stampede Park, you simply can’t get a bigger bang for your buck. Here are some of this year's other amazing headliners: 
July 8: Down With Webster
July 9: Theory of a Deadman
July 10: Ok Go
July 11: Barenaked Ladies
July 12: Stereos, Faber Drive, Marianas Trench
July 13: Three Days Grace
July 14: Glass Tiger, Loverboy
July 15: Doc Walker, Raul Malo
July 16: One Republic
July 17: Default, Crash Karma
July 18: Martina McBride
I’ll be there with boots on for at least One Republic, Ok Go, and Marianas Trench. Who are you looking forward to seeing the most?