The National Western Stock Show is gearing up to celebrate a major milestone. This year, the beloved annual tradition will celebrate its 120th anniversary, with more than 300 events and activities.
The festivities start with the kick-off parade on January 8, starting outside Denver Union Station and traveling 12 blocks down 17th Street to Glenarm Place.
This year’s grand marshal is Pete Coors, director emeritus of Molson Coors Beverage Company and longtime Western Stock Show Association board member. Coors will lead a procession of more than 30 Longhorn cattle, along with horses and Western wagons.
“This parade, and the stock show it celebrates, showcases our state’s rich agricultural heritage and its ongoing economic and cultural importance to Colorado and the West,” says Coors.
After the parade, the celebration will continue at the Stock Show Fair at McGregor Square, featuring therapy horses, Western royalty, a food market and family-friendly activities.
If you’re heading down for the fun, consider treating yourself to a staycation at one of LoDo’s gorgeous hotels, like the recently renovated Crawford Hotel inside Denver Union Station or the historic Oxford Hotel, originally built in 1891 to host train passengers.
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Shop for westernwear—boots, hats, accessories and traditional western shirts—at Rockmount Ranch Wear, a family business that’s been operating since 1946. Or peruse the curated selection at the Vintage Label, a boutique with vintage clothing, accessories and barware, as well as original designs and new retail, plus a custom hat bar. Stroll through one of LoDo’s galleries, like Visions West Contemporary, David Cook Galleries or Mudhead Gallery. Then, grab a drink at Pony Up and dinner at Mercantile, helmed by James Beard Award-winning chef Alex Seidel.
The parade “brings the spirit of the West straight into downtown Denver and sets the tone for the entire National Western,” said Wes Allison, president and chief executive officer of the National Western Stock Show. “This year’s parade marks an unforgettable start to our 120th anniversary.”
The stock show officially starts January 10 and runs through January 25. During that time, visitors can enjoy nearly 30 professional rodeo performances, including PBR Bull Riding, the Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza, the MLK Jr. African American Heritage Rodeo and more. Other activities include world-class horse and live shows, stock dog demos, fiddle competitions, kids activities, shopping, food and the Coors Western Art Exhibit & Sale.
In addition to celebrating its 120th anniversary, the stock show is also celebrating the opening of the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center, a 30-acre complex with a 5,000-seat arena, a 200,000 square-foot livestock hall, a 75,000 square-foot junior market barn, room for more than 1,400 head of cattle, the Cowboy Bar, trade show and retail space, meeting rooms, suites and flexible conference spaces and an outdoor plaza.
Also new for this year is The Legacy, the National Western’s new world headquarters. The facility features a greatly expanded National Western Club with seating for up to 600; the J. Robert and Katherine Wilson Art Gallery, the 10,000-square-foot American Values Conference Center, the Legacy Saloon, the Wold Family Heritage Center, board room and conference spaces, terraces with fire pits and administrative offices.
The new facilities will allow the stock show to host more events—not only the annual National Western Stock Show in January, but also other livestock and equestrian shows throughout the year, as well as festivals, concerts, farmers markets, art exhibitions, cultural gatherings and more.
The buildings are part of a broader redevelopment and expansion project, a collaboration between the National Western Stock Show, the City and County of Denver and Colorado State University (CSU). Planning is also underway for a new 527,000-square-foot Equestrian Center, which will include a hotel and parking structure.
Already, several new facilities have opened their doors. The HW Hutchison Family Stockyards Event Center and the Cille and Ron Williams Yards opened at the 2022 stock show. And the CSU Spur—a free, hands-on educational campus focused on water, health, food and agriculture—opened in phases 2022 and 2023.
Last year, the National Western Stock Show said goodbye to historic facilities, including the 116-year-old Stadium Arena, the traditional home for livestock shows. Starting this year, they’re being held in the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center instead, while the Stadium Arena will be repurposed.
