Dust off your boots and grab a friend. C&I has compiled a Western event guide with insider tips to the summer’s biggest thrills.
From Fourth of July parades and rodeo thrills to cowboy crooners and Native American dancers, our roundup of fun festivals, gatherings, and events recommends plenty of ways to celebrate the vibrant spirit of Western culture and its deep-rooted heritage this summer.
Reno Rodeo: Kickoff To Cowboy Christmas
Be There: June 20 – 29 in Reno, Nevada
Vibe: Energetic and open-air
Best For: First-timers
PHOTOGRAPHY: James Crawshaw
Reno Rodeo is the unofficial start to Cowboy Christmas, a highly profitable slew of professional rodeo competitions that take place around Independence Day every summer. “It serves as a pivotal moment for contestants, igniting their momentum,” explains 2024 Reno Rodeo President Carrie Ann Sattler. “And when the sun goes down and the Nevada skies are awash with color, it’s a truly unforgettable experience.” Festivities begin with a 300-head cattle drive through downtown and continue with concerts, children’s wild-pony races, and businessmen’s steer decorating.
Insider Tip: Wind (and wine) down at Beaujolais Bistro.
What to Eat: New Zealand rack of lambs at Bricks
Where to Stay: The Jesse Hotel & Bar
Side Trip: Lake Tahoe
For More: renorodeo.com
Greeley Stampede: Flag-Waving Family Fun
Be There: June 26 – July 7 in Greeley, Colorado
Vibe: Community celebration
Best For: Multigenerational groups
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy Greeley Stampede
Every heart beats true at this patriotic extravaganza, where the PRCA ProRodeo brings out the best athletes in the country. “We don’t want our guests to feel like tourists, we want them to feel like they are part of the community,” says rodeo chairman Colby Craven. Enjoy daily parades, or catch the big one on July 4, when the town turns out with marching bands, military corps, and floats aflutter with red, white, and blue. Kids can build stick horses and race like real cowpokes, and the demolition derby is always a hit.
Insider Tip: Only small clutches/wallets or clear bags are allowed inside.
What to Eat: Korean pork ribs with a craft IPA at Weldwerks Brewing Co.
Where to Stay: The Elizabeth Hotel, Autograph Collection, in Fort Collins
Side Trip: Rocky Mountain National Park
For More: greeleystampede.org
Cody Stampede Rodeo: PRCA’s Richest One-Round Payouts
Be There: July 1 – 4 in Cody, Wyoming
Vibe: Small-town charm
Best For: Rodeo purists
The “Rodeo Capital of the World” does not fool around, with competitions every night of the summer at the Cody Nite Rodeo — but the big dogs come out to play during the Cody Stampede. You won’t find carnival rides or chuckwagon races here, but you will encounter genuine friendliness and some of the toughest riders in the ring. Grab a seat on the balcony of Buffalo Bill’s Irma Hotel for the Independence Day parade, a cavalcade of fire engines, flag twirlers, and freedom-loving floats.
Insider Tip: The rodeo arena’s Western side offers the best views and keeps the sun at your back.
What to Eat: Wagyu brisket sandwich at Sitti’s Table
Where to Stay: Chamberlin Inn
Side Trip: Yellowstone National Park
For More: codystampederodeo.com
Prescott Frontier Days: The World’s Oldest Rodeo
Be There: July 1 – 7 in Prescott, Arizona
Vibe: Downhome hospitality
Best For: Sunshine seekers
PHOTOGRAPHY: Blushing Cactus
Mountain men on horseback, sequined beauty queens, and escaramuzas in colorful dresses enliven the Fourth of July parade at Prescott Frontier Days, a longstanding rodeo launched on July 4, 1888. Watch the procession from the courthouse square, also the site of a handicraft market where you can talk to the artisans. This year be sure to catch the Clydesdale horses and the specialty act of Tomas Garcilazo, a third-generation Mexican charro with astounding trick roping and horsemanship skills.
Insider Tip: Download the event app for location tracking and real-time updates.
What to Eat: Pan-roasted chicken with bread pudding at BiGA
Where to Stay: The Grand Highland Hotel
Side Trip: Sedona
For More: worldsoldestrodeo.com
Days of ’76 Rodeo: 19-Time Best Rodeo Winner
Be There: July 21 – 27 in Deadwood, South Dakota
Vibe: Gritty and infamous
Best For: History buffs and wannabe outlaws
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy Days of ’76
Gambling is legal in this notorious Wild West town that Calamity Jane called home — and where gunslinger Wild Bill Hickok was shot and killed at a poker table. Now PRCA athletes try their luck at the Days of ’76 Rodeo, named after the 1876 Black Hills Gold Rush that turned the frontier outpost into a boomtown. Historical flourishes set this 102-year-old event apart, including a parade of antique wagons and stagecoaches with a backdrop of authentic Gold Rush-era architecture.
Insider Tip: The historic three-mile parade stops traffic on Highway 14A on Friday and Saturday; expect delays and plan travel accordingly.
What to Eat: Prime rib at Legends Steakhouse
Where to Stay: Deadwood Mountain Grand
Side Trip: Mount Rushmore
For More: daysof76.com
National Day of the American Cowboy: Top Tribute
Be There: July 27 in Fort Worth, Texas
Vibe: Fun and lively
Best For: Families with young children
Kids can experience a little of the cowboy and cowgirl lifestyle and have a rip-roaring good time in the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards with armadillo racing, Western karaoke, and comedy gunfight shows. Quirky competitions abound, from watermelon-seed spitting and hay-bale stacking to quick draw contests with cap guns. Learn how to rope a calf, check out a matinee rodeo, and wander through the award-winning John Wayne: An American Experience exhibit.
Insider Tip: Enjoy panoramic views from Tim Love’s rooftop bar, Ático.
What to Eat: Fried green tomatoes at Provender Hall
Where to Stay: Hotel Drover
Side Trip: Cultural District museums like the Modern Art Museum, Kimbell Art Museum, and Amon Carter Museum of
American Art
For More: fortworthstockyards.org/events/national-day-cowboy
Western Legends Heritage and Music Festival: Where the West Was Filmed
Be There: August 22 – 24 in Kanab, Utah
Vibe: Star-studded entertainment
Best For: Movie fans and nature lovers
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy Kane County Office of Tourism
Surrounded by spectacular red-rock scenery and topographic wonders, it’s no surprise that hundreds of Western movies and TV series were filmed in Kanab — or that its big summer festival pulls in movie stars and arena stars. Hit the Western Legends rodeo on Friday night for bull and bronc action. Explore iconic filming locations for hits like Gunsmoke and The Lone Ranger, and then return to town for cowboy poetry readings, Q&A panels, and special dinners with classic Western movie stars. Kick up your heels at the street dance, and cheer for your favorite performers at the country music battle of the bands.
Insider Tip: Cruise Johnson Canyon Road to see colorful sandstone cliffs, including the dramatic Grand Staircase National Monument.
What to Eat: Pork belly with watermelon at Sego Restaurant
Where to Stay: Canyons Lodge
Side Trips: Zion National Park, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
For More: westernlegendsroundup.com
Montana Cowboy Poetry Gathering & Western Music Rendezvous
Be There: August 8 – 11 in Lewiston, Montana
Vibe: A river runs through it
Best For: Soulful wanderers
With poetry readings at the high school and Cowboy Church on Sunday, this folksy festival brings together the area’s vibrant ranching and farming community. Gentle mountain ranges and idyllic streams surround the hamlet of Lewiston and its quintessential American Main Street. Cowboy singer-songwriter R.W. Hampton headlines this year’s event, which also includes a Thursday evening welcome dinner and Friday night dance.
Insider Tip: Book a scenic train ride through Big Sky Country on the Charlie Russell Chew Choo.
What to Eat: Beer-battered Canadian walleye at The Mint Bar & Grill
Where to Stay: The Calvert Hotel or Judith Mountain Lodge
Side Trip: Fly-fishing on Big Spring Creek
For More: montanacowboypoetrygathering.com
Crow Fair: “Teepee Capital of the World”
Be There: August 16 – 18 in Crow Agency, Montana
Vibe: Family reunion
Best For: Laid-back adventurers
PHOTOGRAPHY: Chris Douglas
Featuring more than 1,000 teepees encamped in a landscape of striking beauty on the banks of the Little Bighorn, this outdoor gathering of the Apsáalooke (Crow) People is a mesmerizing swirl of dancing, drumming, and singing. Each day begins with a parade of horse riders bedecked in brilliant regalia, followed by an all-Indian rodeo with relay horse races. Evening dance tournaments are the highlight for most, and you’ll also find state fair-style diversions like artisan vendors and carnival rides.
Insider Tip: Bring your own chair and arrive early for parking.
What to Eat: Fully loaded fry bread
Where to Stay: Apsáalooke Glamping Co.
Side Trip: Little Bighorn Battlefield
For More: crow-nsn.gov/crow-fair.html
United Tribes International Powwow: Home of the Champions
Be There: September 6 – 8 in Bismarck, North Dakota
Vibe: Summer’s final fling
Best For: The curious and cultured
More than 1,500 top-tier dancers from 70 North American tribes will compete at this Great Plains powwow, where they’ll be judged on their skill, knowledge, rhythm, and regalia — including massive feathered headdresses. From tiny tots to senior citizens, males and females compete in unique events like the stomping grass dance and the jingle dance, which makes use of hundreds of metal cones sewn onto the dancer’s regalia.
Insider Tip: Prepare to join the fun during the friendship dance.
What to Eat: Buffalo barbecue on Sunday, a powwow tradition
Where to Stay: Home2 Suites by Hilton
Side Trip: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
For More: unitedtribespowwow.com
Western Summer Beyond The Borders
Heading abroad this summer? Add these far-flung festivities to your bucket list.
Head north to Canada’s Cowtown for the Calgary Stampede (July 5 – 14). Rodeo, powwow, nightly concerts, Miranda racing, elite wrestling, and midway food like “elkeroni” pizza and ribeye wagyu steak on a bun— what’s not to love about celebrating the Western spirit Canuck-style? calgarystampede.com
Travel to the Australian Outback for the Mount Isa Rodeo, the largest rodeo in the Southern Hemisphere, complete with nightly concerts and a “Hot Chili Wing Challenge” (August 8 – 11). isarodeo.com/au
EquiBlues in southern France is part rodeo and part country music festival with très chic boot scootin’ and line dancing (August 14 – 18). equiblues.com
Prepare yourself for a party at the Festa do Peão de Barretos in Brazil, an ebullient celebration of the inland farming and ranching cultures (August 15 – 25). This year, Cody Johnson headlines. independentes.com.br/festadopeao
Take a break from the beach in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for National Charro Day (September 14). If you love decked-out Mexican cowboys, check out this horseback parade through scenic cobblestone streets along with traditional roping performances and plenty of good food and dancing. visitpuertovallarta.com
From our July 2024 issue.
