Cheyenne Frontier Days
One of the premier events in the Cowboy State is Cheyenne Frontier Days, held the last full week of July since 1897. The event started as a rodeo for ranch-riding cowboys who liked to show off their skills; now it consumes all of Cheyenne for nine days, when 250,000 to 300,000 people come into town.
By the Numbers
Cheyenne Frontier Days includes nine afternoon rodeos; nine nighttime concerts; eight days of Native American dancing (Saturday–Saturday); four parades (Saturday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday); three pancake breakfasts (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday); one U.S. Air Force air show (Wednesday); and one art show (all month).
The Rodeos
Dozens of the top Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association contenders come to Cheyenne to face off in bull riding, tie-down roping, saddle or bareback bronc riding, and steer wrestling. Women compete in barrel racing; and trick riders and rodeo clowns break up the action. In one of the most exciting events, three-man teams catch a wild horse and saddle it, and then one team member rides the horse around a track in a Wild West rendition of the Kentucky Derby. Frontier Days wraps up with the final Sunday rodeo, in which the top contestants in each event compete head-to-head for the coveted Cheyenne buckle.
Extracurriculars
Each night, concerts showcase top country entertainers such as Blake Shelton, Keith Urban, and Tim McGraw (be sure to buy tickets in advance). Members of the Northern Arapaho and Eastern Shoshone tribes from the Wind River Reservation perform dances at a temporary Native American village where they also drum, sing, and share their culture. The parades show off a huge collection of horse-drawn vehicles, and the free pancake breakfasts feed as many as 12,000 people in two hours. Crowds descend on the midway for carnival rides and games. At the Old West Museum, the expansive Frontier Days Western Art Show & Sale features pieces by top Western wildlife and landscape artists.
Boots and Books
Of course, there’s plenty of shopping: at the Exhibition Hall, filled with Western wear and gear, you can buy everything from boots and belts to home furnishings and Western art. And you can pick up regional titles at book signings by members of the Western Writers of America.
Plan Ahead
Cheyenne Frontier Days entertains both kids and adults, in large numbers. It not only takes over Cheyenne but fills lodgings in nearby Laramie, Wheatland, Torrington, and even cities in northern Colorado. If you plan to attend, make your reservations early—some hotels book a year out.
For further information and to book rodeo and concert tickets, contact Cheyenne Frontier Days (800/227–6336 for the box office www.cfdrodeo.com). The website is a useful resource; you can buy tickets online, see a schedule of activities, and order a printed brochure, all well in advance of the event itself.
