After 117 years, Cheyenne has learned how to throw a party. Just before the turn of the last century, a railroad promoter & a local newspaper editor organized a small festival to bring folks in from out of town. The first Frontier Days was born, with much frolicking and Western exhibition.
The entire 10-day festival is put on mostly by volunteers. Visitors from around the world are welcomed with 4 parades downtown and 3 free breakfasts at Depot Square. This year, the Kiwanis & local Boy Scouts served over 9,000 people Monday morning, over 13,000 on Wednesday and over 10,000 on Friday. That’s a LOT of pancakes!
Cheyenne Frontier Days is known as the “Daddy of ’em all”. Rodeo is the thing, as it has been from the beginning. Cheyenne is the largest outdoor rodeo, and voted over and over by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association “PRCA Outdoor Rodeo of the Year” . Cheyenne’s rodeo is legend, from Garth Brooks and George Strait songs to Luke Perry’s movie 8 Seconds about the tragic loss of champion cowboy Lane Frost in 1989’s event. Cowboys ride two days in a row during the week, then the top 15 in each event are invited back for the “short go” championship round the final Sunday afternoon.
Frontier Days is also Frontier Nights. The volunteer Contract Acts Committee recruits the creme of the Country radio charts to play night shows at Frontier Park. This year Jason Aldean sold out the area, and there were packed shows by Toby Keith, Rascall Flatts, and Luke Bryan. I, myself, preferred the shows by Alan Jackson and Dwight Yoakam, but the kids buy the tickets these days.
A great time was had by all.
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