By Jimmy Orr, Cowboy State Daily
People who lived in Cheyenne 45 years ago may remember the old Cheyenne Frontier Days theme song playing on the radio: “Cheyenne Frontier Days, here we go again. A big Wyoming showdown where the cowboy is the king.”
You could say the event is even more special now because the largest outdoor rodeo in the world was canceled for the first time in 124 years in 2020 due to the pandemic. But it’s roaring back in 2021 for its 125th anniversary.
Gov. Mark Gordon made the announcement on Wednesday alongside Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins and Frontier Days CEO Tom Hirsig that the “Daddy of ‘Em All” is not only back, but at 100% capacity.
“Our big message that we want people to hear loud and clear today is that Wyoming is back and we are open for business,” Gordon said.
“It’s just good to see it back,” he said. “It’s just back stronger than ever. It feels like Wyoming is coming back to life.”
The 10-day event scheduled from July 23 to August 1 is a bucket list item for rodeo fans across the world and it appears as though the upcoming celebration will be pretty close to normal.
Hirsig said there would be some modifications in the interest of safety, but there will be no required face mask use, which is a significant announcement in itself.
He said the organizations that contribute to Cheyenne Frontier Days, from night shows to the carnival to the rodeo itself, have all agreed to “vigorous” safety protocols.
“All of our events of Cheyenne Frontier Days take place on our 83-acre park in the clean, fresh air of Wyoming. Some days fresher than other days,” he said. “Cheyenne Frontier Days [will be a] very safe outdoor event,” he said.
“We are excited to get back to fulfilling our mission of economic impact to the community, and we look forward to safely welcoming our fans back to Frontier Park this summer,” Hirsig said.
The sizable bump to Cheyenne’s economy from the return of the rodeo was not lost on Cheyenne Mayor Patrick Collins who during last year’s mayoral campaign pledged to work closely with the organization.
“We are proud to welcome rodeo fans and visitors back to Cheyenne this July,” Collins said. “Our businesses look forward to hosting guests and locals alike as we work together to support our summer season.”
CFD officials said details about ticket sales and concert performers will be revealed Thursday evening, April 8.
Cheyenne Frontier Days takes place each summer during the last full week in July and features the world’s largest outdoor rodeo, drawing top professionals competing for more than $1 million in cash and prizes.
In addition to the daily rodeo action, fans can also enjoy Frontier Nights concerts featuring the biggest names in country music, the Native American Village, the old frontier town, free pancake breakfasts, an art show, a carnival midway, professional bull riding shows and downtown parades featuring antique carriages and automobiles.
