111th National Western Stock Show Kicks Off

The National Western Stock Show launches its 111-year-old Colorado tradition in Denver.  The historic Stock Show Parade trots through the streets of downtown Denver on Thursday, January 5, at noon.  The procession will be led by parade Grand Marshal Thunder.

The 2017 National Western Stock Show promises to showcase your favorite western traditions as well as highlight the many “must see” events across the grounds.  The 16-day show opens Saturday, January 7, and features a BBQ Throwdown competition presented by Chevrolet, an authentic Ranch Rodeo, championship fiddle competitions, PBR bull riding, family-fun dog shows, Frontier Airlines Mutton Bustin’, Coors Western Art gallery, a nursery of baby animals, the King Soopers Petting Farm and acres of food and shopping.

Tuesday, January 10th, is FREE Grounds Admission Day, compliments of National Western Stock Show.  Visit the NW box office to get a ticket and enjoy the day.

The National Western Stock Show is celebrating 111 years in Denver with nearly 30 professional rodeo performances, world-class horse shows and the “Super Bowl” of livestock shows.  The historical National Western Yards will haul in 40 semi-loads of shavings, 14 semi-loads of straw, and will haul away 65 semi trucks full of manure for recycle after the 16 days.  There will be more than 15,000 head of livestock and horses that pass through the grounds, with 25 different breeds of cattle and six other species, including miniature Herefords, goats, lambs, alpaca, llama and poultry.  An estimated $10 million in livestock sales will be exchanged during the 16-day event.

The National Western Stock Show will drive nearly $100 million in economic impact to the Denver Metro area and raise right around $400,000 for the National Western Scholarship Trust, which distributes more than 80 scholarships to students studying in the fields of agriculture and rural medicine.

Grounds admission and event tickets are on sale at nationalwestern.com and all King Soopers locations.

The National Western Center campus project will receive a $200,000 grant from the History Colorado State Historical Fund to study the potential adaptive use of the Stadium Arena as a year-round public food market that would promote Colorado-based products. In April 2016, the 1909 Stadium Arena was designated a local historic landmark by the Denver City Council.

The State Historical Fund grant, which will be used to conduct a historic structural assessment and economic feasibility study, is another step in the     National Western Center’s Historic Resources Implementation Plan to honor the history of the National Western Stock Show.