I found myself in Northern Colorado recently for work and admittedly, it is not the most exciting place. There are a few redeeming qualities like the beautiful hiking trails and an astounding amount of breweries in the area, but with Cheyenne Frontier Days happening less than an hour away, I decided to jump ship and spent some time out on the frontier.
I attended the festival on a Saturday which happened to also be the last day of the rodeo and the last concert of the festival. Unfortunately, I arrived a little too late to experience the entire rodeo but I was not disappointed in the least with the few events I did get to see.
I watched women’s barrel racing and found myself cheering them on more than I ever cheered for any of my own sports teams, I sat on the edge of my seat and watched too many men get bucked off some wild bulls and was touched when I saw how connected mom and baby are when they lined up four baby colts at one end up the track with their mothers on the opposite end and then let them race on over. It was precious to watch.
Wild Horse Race 
Barrel Race 
Bull Ride 
Steer Wrestling 
Foal Race
After the rodeo I wandered around the rest of the festival and instantly wished I had allotted more time. There were so many nice boutique-style booths and there was even a wide variety of food options. There were the traditional fair foods like fried twinkies and corndogs but there were also stations for Poké Bowls and Taco salads with actual steak and not the pre-frozen sliced steak. It was a pleasant surprise.
I grabbed a few pieces of wall art and too many business cards to count so I could order the items I fell in love with once I got home because there was no way I was fitting all my finds into my suitcase.
My only complaint would be that I had to walk around the entire location and ask multiple employees to advise when the gates for the concert would open, where I was supposed to enter the stadium etc. and no one seemed to know anything.
Once I found the correct gate, they had already begun allowing people to enter the stadium to line up as all sections were general admission. When I got to the entrance they advised me no bags were allowed and neither were water bottles, sealed or not. I then had to leave all of my items at the “security booth” which really just compromised of a small table and the occasional employee sitting in front of it. Once they let us into our sections we were like a very tightly packed can of sardines and there was no water available unless you had cash and happened to catch the attention of one of the runners.
After getting over the initial discomfort it was like most other concerts. Devin Dawson got the party started with a few of his songs which had some of the best lyrics I have heard in a while. However, in the middle of his set it started raining which caused a little bit of a delay getting Tim McGraw on stage.
During that limbo time is when everything went downhill quickly. First there was a grown woman standing near my group who decided to drop her pants and relieve herself all over everyone standing in the area and the floor. Then after she had been reported and kicked out, an underage boy couldn’t handle the liquor his mother had been supplying him with all day and decided to spew chunks all over everyone, he was promptly thrown over the fence by some upset concert goers and then detained by security.
Once all the craziness calmed down, and the rain stopped, Tim McGraw finally made his way onto the stage and I finally understood the obsession my mother had for him when I was growing up. (He looks really good in a pair of tight blue jeans and an undone button down) During one of his songs he did the usual crowd tour, but this time I happened to be net to him and he gabbed my hand and I got to dance with him while he let another gentleman sing into the mic! It was probably the best memory I have ever made at a concert.
Now let me tell you, Tim McGraw is definitely a performer, his set was long, his encore was phenomenal and his stage presence is unbelievable. There was also a surprise appearance by Tanya Tucker who happened to be in the area as her dog was receiving his cancer treatment from a vet nearby.
Overall my day spent in Wyoming was so worth the drive and the money. I got to see a rodeo, go shopping, get some good food and experience my favorite concert to date for under $150. I had a front row seat to Tim McGraw for $80, a rodeo ticket for $25 and the rest was spent on fun souvenirs and food.
If I had the opportunity, I would have attended everyday of the Frontier Festival. The entire operation was surprisingly (mostly) organized, the rodeo was extensive and some of my favorite entertainment, they brought huge country stars to the area and provided cheap tickets, the vendors were eclectic and just perfect for the venue, and even the food was good! I am hoping to make this a yearly trip outside of my work travels because it was such a good time!