The quiet solitude of summer took a major turn the third week of July. I don't mean that there was another tornado warning (which we actually had) or that my boyfriend came to visit (he did), or that there was a shortage of Bud Light at the drive-through liquor store (which may/may not have happened). Oh no. It was bigger than that.
Question: What's the one-time event of the year that transforms Cheyenne into the biggest white trash tourist attraction this side of Carhenge?
Answer: None other than the "Daddy of 'Em All," Cheyenne Frontier Days!
The gist:
CFD, as we'll call it, is a 116-year old "western celebration" that is coined as the largest outdoor rodeo in the world. This tiny town of 60,000 people more than triples in size to welcome hundreds of thousands of tourists during the 10-day event each year. Within 24 hours of the rodeo's start, you're guaranteed to see this town bustling with city slickers. If you didn't know better, you'd think you fell asleep last night only to wake up and find yourself in a mini version of Midnight Cowboy. Seriously, CFD turns this sleepy town upside dowwwwwn.
The goal of CFD is to keep Western traditions alive by luring outsiders within its borders in order to get them to pay top dollar with the promise of seeing "how it's really done" here in Wyoming and The West. There is a daily PRCA/PBR rodeo (including bull and bronc riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and my favorite: wild horse races), an Old West-themed town with Wyoming souvenirs, a carnival, big name country music concerts, as well as daily parades and free pancake breakfasts. Not to mention a Native American village, complete with tipis.
CFD amazingness part 1: THE PARADE
If you ever want to remind yourself of what's quirky and endearing about Small Town, USA, try to attend a local parade. The CFD parade was a mishmash of heartfelt nostalgia and unintentional hilarity: alongside random tidbits of CFD history there were horses. Lots of 'em. And tractors...and beauty queens...and marching bands...and the military...and random roller skaters...and old people in wheelchairs. Good times were had by all.
CFD amazingness part 2: THE RODEO
CFD amazingness part 4: THE CARNIVAL
Last but not least, the carnival was a wonderful way to cap off what my mom would call a whirling dervish of a week at CFD. My friend Kendra and I did well not to dole out our hard-earned money to the carnival. Bret and I, however, lost more than I'll admit on booze and carnival games (luckily my honey rescued a stuffed bumblebee from the clutches of an evil carnie!). The coup de grâce of the whole experience was the ride at the end: for some godawful reason Bret let me choose which ride to waste our money on, so I chose that nasty spin-around, up-and-down piece of machinery from Hell called "The Hurricane." Yes, the one just like the ride in The Sandlot where everybody pukes only a few minutes after getting on it. And yes, I came thiiiiiiiiiiis close to spewing my lunch all over Bret. Thank the Lord I didn't, but I'm sure he would have held my hair back if I did. Guess I'm getting too old for carnival rides.
My take on CFD:
I spent the whole summer looking forward to CFD. Sure, I was lonely and couldn't wait to have visitors. Moreover, up until now I never had the chance to explore it as an adult and partake in the more entertaining aspects of the spectacle (like, you know, the beer and mechanical bull riding). This time around I really, really enjoyed myself. I loved watching the tourists, counting the anachronisms, and reveling in the strength of the people who still practice old ways in a modern world. Most of all, I loved playing tourist on my home turf. It's a nice way to rediscover the things that make a place unique!
*And my mother's birth in Cody, WY.
Question: What's the one-time event of the year that transforms Cheyenne into the biggest white trash tourist attraction this side of Carhenge?
Answer: None other than the "Daddy of 'Em All," Cheyenne Frontier Days!
Let me introduce you to the greatest thing to happen to Wyoming since Yellowstone.*
Front row seats with a helluva view for bronc riding!
CFD, as we'll call it, is a 116-year old "western celebration" that is coined as the largest outdoor rodeo in the world. This tiny town of 60,000 people more than triples in size to welcome hundreds of thousands of tourists during the 10-day event each year. Within 24 hours of the rodeo's start, you're guaranteed to see this town bustling with city slickers. If you didn't know better, you'd think you fell asleep last night only to wake up and find yourself in a mini version of Midnight Cowboy. Seriously, CFD turns this sleepy town upside dowwwwwn.
The goal of CFD is to keep Western traditions alive by luring outsiders within its borders in order to get them to pay top dollar with the promise of seeing "how it's really done" here in Wyoming and The West. There is a daily PRCA/PBR rodeo (including bull and bronc riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, and my favorite: wild horse races), an Old West-themed town with Wyoming souvenirs, a carnival, big name country music concerts, as well as daily parades and free pancake breakfasts. Not to mention a Native American village, complete with tipis.
CFD amazingness part 1: THE PARADE
The full moon half of the Hell's Half Acre float
If you ever want to remind yourself of what's quirky and endearing about Small Town, USA, try to attend a local parade. The CFD parade was a mishmash of heartfelt nostalgia and unintentional hilarity: alongside random tidbits of CFD history there were horses. Lots of 'em. And tractors...and beauty queens...and marching bands...and the military...and random roller skaters...and old people in wheelchairs. Good times were had by all.
CFD amazingness part 2: THE RODEO
My take-home from seeing the rodeo over two days at CFD is this: cowboys are badasses! The first day that I got to see it put us in the front row right behind the chutes. We could literally hear the conversations on the field as the cowboys rallied to rope the broncs. It was incredible -- I'll never feel that jazzed to sit near a 3,000 pound pissed off animal as I did that day. The second day was up in the nosebleeds, but luckily we still had a good vantage point of the events, and not to mention an even better one of the cheapo cowboy getups worn by a family of French tourists. You could still smell the horse crap way up there. Or as they say in France, the "merde de cheval."
CFD amazingness part 3: THE MUSIC
Yeah, I'm a broke grad student, and yeah, I'm a burgeoning country music fan (see an upcoming post for more on that topic). So why not spend $58 of my summer stipend to see Alan Jackson? Next to Brooks and Dunn a decade ago, it was hands down the best country concert I've ever been to. We also got to explore the wide array of talents from an '80s cover band in the Depot Plaza one night.
Please, go back to the '80s where you belong
CFD amazingness part 4: THE CARNIVAL
Last but not least, the carnival was a wonderful way to cap off what my mom would call a whirling dervish of a week at CFD. My friend Kendra and I did well not to dole out our hard-earned money to the carnival. Bret and I, however, lost more than I'll admit on booze and carnival games (luckily my honey rescued a stuffed bumblebee from the clutches of an evil carnie!). The coup de grâce of the whole experience was the ride at the end: for some godawful reason Bret let me choose which ride to waste our money on, so I chose that nasty spin-around, up-and-down piece of machinery from Hell called "The Hurricane." Yes, the one just like the ride in The Sandlot where everybody pukes only a few minutes after getting on it. And yes, I came thiiiiiiiiiiis close to spewing my lunch all over Bret. Thank the Lord I didn't, but I'm sure he would have held my hair back if I did. Guess I'm getting too old for carnival rides.
My take on CFD:
I spent the whole summer looking forward to CFD. Sure, I was lonely and couldn't wait to have visitors. Moreover, up until now I never had the chance to explore it as an adult and partake in the more entertaining aspects of the spectacle (like, you know, the beer and mechanical bull riding). This time around I really, really enjoyed myself. I loved watching the tourists, counting the anachronisms, and reveling in the strength of the people who still practice old ways in a modern world. Most of all, I loved playing tourist on my home turf. It's a nice way to rediscover the things that make a place unique!
*And my mother's birth in Cody, WY.
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