2011 Dates: Friday, July 22 through Sunday, July 31.
Now in its 115th year, Cheyenne Frontier Days is the largest outdoor rodeo and Western celebration in the world. Get a true taste of the Old West as the “Daddy of ‘Em All” delivers thrilling PRCA rodeo competition, down-home food and world-class entertainment. The event draws some of the nation’s top rodeo cowboys, all vying for a piece of the million-dollar purse — the largest regular-season payoff in rodeo. This year’s event kicks off Friday, July 22, with a variety of events — including a concert with rock ‘n’ roll legends Motley Crue — and continues with nine days of PRCA Rodeo, a carnival, shopping and cultural villages, nightly entertainment and much more.
Rodeo Events
Each morning begins with a free Timed Event Slack, where you can see steer wrestling, steer roping, tie-down roping, barrel racing and team roping. Each day’s ticketed ($16–$30) rodeo competition starts at 12:45 p.m. and includes the excitement of bull, saddle bronc and bareback bronc riding as well as the crowd-favorite Wild Horse Race, in which teams of three attempt to saddle an unbroken horse and ride it once around the track. Can’t tell a “hazer” from a “pigging string”? The CFD website explains all the rodeo events here. You can check out daily video highlights at The Rodeo Hand blog.
Entertainment
Check out the lineup of nightly entertainment, which includes concerts by Motley Crue, Darius Rucker with Kevin Costner & Modern West, Kid Rock with Cheryl Crow, Zac Brown Band, Toby Keith with Eric Church, Charlie Daniels Band, and Jason Aldean with Mark Chesnutt and Thompson Square. For all nine days, there will be a Wrangler Million Dollar Pro Rodeo Gold Tour competition in the arena — each featuring at least 10 rodeo events and three track acts. Families always enjoy the Carnival Midway, which features a variety of concessions, games and thrilling rides. For those of legal drinking age, the Buckin’ A Saloon is the place to be to two-step to live music. On July 23, 26, 28 and 30, a spectacular Grand Parade will wind through downtown Cheyenne.
Historic and Cultural Events
Don’t miss daily attractions such as the CFD Old West Museum, which offers visitors a look at the American West and the history of the rodeo, and Wild Horse Gulch, a Western village filled with artisans, merchants and period-dressed characters. Check the full events schedule for more historic and cultural things to do, including the Western Art Show & Reception, Indian Village and Fort D.A. Russell Days.
Travel Information
In Southeast Wyoming, Cheyenne is at the crossroads of I-25 and I-80 and is just 90 miles from Denver. And, now it’s easier than ever to get to thanks to two daily flights from Dallas-Fort Worth. Cheyenne Regional Airport also has daily flights to Denver and Dallas. Learn more about lodging, dining and other things to do in Cheyenne here.
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