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Cheyenne Frontier Days

  • 1226 8th Avenue
  • Cheyenne, WY 82001
  • (307) 778-7222
  • (800) 227-6336
  • Visit website

Description


 

Join us for Cheyenne Frontier Days July 19-28, 2013

cfd

The Daddy of 'em All has been kicking up dust since 1897 with the world's largest outdoor rodeo and Western Celebration. The first Frontier Days was held as a cowboy roundup that featured bronco busting and steer roping contests as well as pony races.

When the event was over, the cowboys stayed around to sort cattle and brand calves. They also roped steers, demonstrated rope tricks, and challenged each other in the activity that was a true test of a cowboy's skill, which was riding bucking broncos. Everyone liked it so much that the next year’s Frontier Days was expanded to two days and included a parade.

More than 100 years later, Cheyenne Frontier Days is a 10-day festival of rip-roarin' excitement, featuring the world's best PRCA rodeo action and Western entertainment. It's non-stop activity and hospitality at its Western best!

Cheyenne Frontier Days includes PRCA rodeo & slack events, concerts, Professional Bull Riders, USAF Thunderbirds, parades, pancake breakfasts, Western Art Show & sale, carnival, Old West Museum, Indian Village. Click here to get some sample itineraries for Frontier Days.

RODEOS

Team RopingCheyenne celebrates its Authentic West roots each year with the world's largest outdoor rodeo. The event draws top professionals cowboys, competing for more than $1 million in cash and prizes.

Lady at CFD  Besides the PRCA event, which is called The Daddy of 'em All because of the prizes, there's tons of other rodeo-related activities going on.  Find out about all the rodeo action here!

NIGHT SHOWS

The nightlife at Frontier Days is tons of fun! It goes on each night, Friday through the next Saturday, with rock and country music, as well as professional bull riding! See what the musical fun is all about by clicking on this page.

CFD Night Shows 2013 

CBR

July 19 ... Styx opens for Journey
July 20 ... Randy Houser opens for Alan Jackson
July 21 ... Chancey Williams and The Younger Brothers Band opens for Dwight Yoakam
July 22 and 23 ... Championship Bull Riding
July 24 ... Thompson Square opens for Luke Bryan
July 25 ... The Band Perry opens for Rascal Flatts
July 26 ... Jake Owen opens for Jason Aldean
July 27 ... Joe Nichols opens for Toby Keith

To buy tickets, go online at the Frontier Days' website or call 800-227-6336.

PARADES

paradesOne of Cheyenne Frontier Days' most popular events is the Grand Parade, which is held at 9:30 a.m. July 20, 23, 25 and 27 in downtown Cheyenne. 

parades The route starts at the Capitol at East 24th Street and Capitol Avenue, heads south to 18th Street and then east to Central Avenue to Lincolnway, it turns west to Carey Blvd and then ends at East 24th Street.

You'll see floats, marching bands, antique carriages, automobiles and horses with riders in period dress. It's 90 minutes of cheering fun.

FOOD

Pancake BreakfastWhat's better on a sunny summer morning than having some pancakes, ham and coffee with 10,000 new friends? Well, there isn't anything better (except getting it for free). The Pancake Breakfast Pancake Breakfasts are held three times during Frontier Days on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. They are hugely popular because the food is great, the company is awesome and the entertainment is top-knotch.

The breakfast runs from 7 to 9 a.m. July 22, 24 and 26 at the historic Depot Plaza, Lincolnway and Capitol Avenue. You might be daunted by the sheer size of the line, but as you snake your way through the serpentine slide of people, you'll find that it moves quickly and you'll end up enjoying all your company!

Once you get to the front, the Kiwanis Club and their army of volunteers will serve you and the crowd more than 100,000 flapjacks made from 5,000 pounds of pancake mix, cook-up 3,000 pounds of ham, serve 9,200 cartons of milk and 520 gallons of coffee, along with 630 pounds of butter and 475 gallons of syrup during the three pancake breakfasts!

Chuckwagon cookoffThere's tons more food to be eaten during Cheyenne Frontier Days, including carnival food on the Midway at Frontier Park, Eighth and Dey Avenues, as well as street vendors throughout the city who show up just for Frontier Days, including some great barbecue. Cheyenne is full of great restaurants that are uniquely Cheyenne (find out about the restaurants in Cheyenne here). Local churches also hold lunches 

carnival food

after the Pancake Breakfasts (signs are up downtown to lead you to the food!), and hotels with their own restaurants, like Little America and the Plains, have evening events during Frontier Days that celebrate Western food. The History Channel also rolls into town with their barbecue truck, which they set up right at Frontier Park. 

Another fun event with food is the Chuckwagon Cookoff, which is held from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 24-27 at Frontier Park between the Old West Museum and the Indian Village, Carey and Eighth Avenues. Authentic chuckwagon crews give a glimpse into life on the Goodnight Trail more than a 100 years ago, and they have a demonstartion of their cooking each day, with the championship cookoff on the final day.

FAMILY FUN

carnivalEveryone gets excited when they see the carnival rides go up because they know things are about to get fun!  The carnival starts July 19 and is open from 11 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. every day but Sunday, July 29, when it is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on the Frontier Park midway, Eighth and Dey Avenues.

Gunslinger Armbands are $25 for a half-day session, which is either for the daytime (11 a.m. to 6 p.m. ) or evening (6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.). Cost is $5 less for Laramie County residents on Cheyenne Day, July 24. The price does not include midway admission, which is $3 per person. You can buy your armbands online here.

The Cheyenne Gunslingers perform re-enactments of gunfights and other Wild West activities at noon & 6 p.m. Mon–Sat and noon Sun from Jul 19-28 at Gunslingers Square, 15th and Pioneer. The performances are free.

indian village

The Indian Village is open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. July 20-27 at the southeast corner of Frontier Park, Carey and Eighth Avenues. Various Native American vendors with food, arts and crafts are available all day, with special entertainment throughout the week.

The entertainment in the Indian Village is free and is brought to us from the Little Sun Drum and Dance Group, based out of the Wind River Reservation in central Wyoming.

cfd fun>> Dancing is at 11:15 a.m., 3 p.m. & 6 p.m. July 19-27 and 11 a.m. July 28.
>> The Flute Player is at 2 & 5:15 p.m. July 20-27.
>> Story Telling is at 1 & 4 p.m. July 20-27.
>> Free crafts for children is very popular, so get there a few minutes before 11 a.m. & 1 p.m. July 20, 21 & 24.
>> And the Pow Wow is set for 7:15 p.m. July 24.

Wildly popluar, the Wild Horse Gulch is open every day of Frontier Days from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. just south of the Old West Museum and west of the Indian Village in Frontier Park, Carey and Eighth Avenues.

Take a step back in time and celebrate Cheyenne's western heritage with Western merchants, craftspeople, artisans, and even some special guest characters like Lillie Langtry, Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild Bill Hickock and Wyatt Earp.

MelodramaThe Old Fashioned Melodrama is always a hoot, and this year's "The Treasure of Sara's Padre or Peril at the Plains or Don't Be a Freud, Just Lie Down on the Couch My Dear" will play at 7 p.m. July 18-28 at the Atlas Theater, 211 West Lincolnway. 

Take a collapsing hotel, a missing fortune, a distressed damsel, a greasy villain, a brave but bumbling hero and a dash of Sigmnud Freud and you've got the main ingredients for this year's melodrama. Entertainment for the entire family, Cheer for the hero & boo at the villain. Adults $15, seniors $12, students 13 and old $10, child 12 and under $8. 638-6543.

The Cowgirls of the West Brunch and Fashion Show is a popular annual event at 9 a.m. July 22 in the Grand Ballroom of Little America Resort Hotel, 2800 West Lincolnway. Featuring fashions by Just Dandy, Out West & Outstanding fashions from Cheyenne’s Premier Western Fashion Store. Plus Silent Auction, Jewelry, Rodeo Queens and more. Reservations are required at 632-6068 or visit their website.

Blazing Saddles Blazing Saddles will be shown during Frontier Days at 2 p.m. daily, July 19 through 27. $3 per ticket. Concessions for sale. 638-6543.

Ghosts of Cheyenne - Magic Show will be at 2 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. July 20 through 28, which no show July 24, at the Historic Haunted Hynds Building, 1602 Capitol Ave. Ghosts of Cheyenne is an audience interactive magical experience that combines ghost stories, history and the art of illusion to bring the past to life. This show is not appropriate for those with severe heart conditions or nervous disorders, and may not be appropriate for children under the age of 10. If you are recently bereaved the subject matter of this production deals heavily with death and the afterlife. Adults $20/children Under 12 $15.

TRAINS

The Denver Post Steam Train is a yearly favorite during Frontier Days as it takes people from Denver up to Cheyenne for a day of great adventures and then returns to Denver in the late afternoon. Hosted by the Denver Post (which was an early and continual supporter of CFD), you can get your tickets from the paper.

If you just want to great the UP Steam Engine 844, come hear the Cheyenne Civic Band perofrm for the guests as they depart the train at 9 a.m. July 20 at the historic Depot, 121 West 15th Street. The train will remain at the Depot until it departs at 5:30 p.m. July 20.

Union Pacific has to get the Steam Train 844 back from Denver to its home in the Cheyenne railyards, so the Cheyenne Depot Museum offers a one-way Steam Train Excursion the day after the Denver Post round trip.

Busses are available to shuttle people before the excursion from Cheyenne to Denver or from Denver to Cheyenne after the event. For more information or to get tickets, visit the Cheyenne Depot's website.

US AIR FORCE THUNDERBIRDS

PLEASE NOTE: Due to Federal Budget Cuts, the Thunderbirds have cancelled their 2013 Performances. However, they have not officially canceled. Therefore, they may perform in 2013. Please do not county on the performance in 2013, however.

USAF ThunderbirdThe first civilian air show ever performed by the Air Force Thunderbirds was at Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1953. They have returned each year to fly on the Wednesday morning of the festival. They are often seen around town at autograph signings!

Thunderbirds

The USAF Thunderbirds Air Show will be at 10 a.m. July 24 above Laramie County Community College, 1400 East College Drive. Parking at LCCC begins at 8 a.m.

Remote free Park ‘n Ride lots are at Holliday Home Plaza, Nationway and Windmill Road (Ashley Furniture parking lot) and Cheyenne Plaza, East Lincolnway and College Drive (Hobby Lobby parking lot).

Before the Thunderbirds fly, enjoy fun activities and music from a live active duty Air Force Band! LCCC student groups will sell refreshments and Thunderbird T-shirts. Don’t forget your lawnchairs, umbrellas, water and sunscreen (sunglasses too). For information, call 778-7200 or 800-227-6336.

FORT D.A. RUSSELL DAYS

Fort Russell

The FE Warren Air Force Base will hold a three-day open house honoring their past as Ft. D.A. Russell and all they have achieved through the years with missiles and now with NASA. The base will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Jul 19-21 at the Base, Interstate 25 and Randall Ave. All events are free except where noted. Learn more about this fun three-day event here.

LODGING

It's not too early to reserve your Frontier Days lodging. Find out the availability for hotels here or do the research for hotels here. One hint for you is that when you call the hotel to book your reservation, call them directly on their local 307 phone number for the best availability and rates.

PARKING & SHUTTLES

CFD Park n RideParking can be a hassle during Frontier Days as the neighborhood south of the park quickly fills with vehicles up to eight blocks south and 10 blocks east of the entrance. To avoid a long walk or an expensive ticket (breaking parking laws WILL result in a towed vehicle), you have options. Click here to learn more.

FUTURE DATES

Mark your calendars!! Hope to see you at a future Cheyenne Frontier Days.

2014 ... July 18 - 27
2015 ... July 17 - 26
2016 ... July 22 - 31
2017 ... July 21 - 30
2018 ... July 28 - 29
2019 ... July 19 - 28
2020 ... July 17 - 26

 

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