CASPER, Wyo. — The 2020 Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) has been cancelled for the first time in its 124 year history due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday, May 27.
The rodeo had been scheduled for July 17-26 and was set to feature performances from country music stars like Cody Johnson, Blake Shelton, Trace Adkins and Eric Church.
This year’s rodeo would have been the 124th in the history of what has come to be known as the “Daddy of ‘Em All.” This is the first time the rodeo has been cancelled since it was first held in Cheyenne in 1897.
Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon’s office announced on Wednesday new public health orders set to go into effect June 1 which will allow outdoor gatherings of up to 250 people. However, attendance at large rodeos like CFD tends to exceed these limits.
97,373 people attended rodeo performances at the 2019 Cheyenne Frontier Days and 120,518 people attended night-time performances, according to a CFD release.
The cancellation of the rodeo will likely have significant economic impacts for Cheyenne and Laramie County. Dean Runyan Associates has conducted economic impact studies for past Cheyenne Frontier Days.
“Director visitor spending” surrounding the 2018 event totaled about $27.1 million, according to this CFD release, down slightly from $28 million in 2015. Director visitor spending in 2018 included:
- about $5.3 million spent on food and beverages at restaurants and bars
- about $5.1 million in overnight lodging
- about $7.8 million in entertainment and recreation (including ticket sales)
- about $8.8 million in retail purchases (including gasoline and groceries)
“Other direct economic impacts include approximately 302 full- and part-time jobs, $5 million in earnings (wage and salary disbursements), $633,000 in local tax revenue, and $683,000 in state tax revenue,” CFD added. “Total economic impacts resulting from direct visitor spending which include secondary impacts, also known as ‘multiplier effects,’ resulted in approximately $35 million of business activity generated for Laramie County.”
The release also gives some details about visitors to the 2018 rodeo:
● The majority of Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees participated in a Frontier Nights/Concert (72%) and/or the Rodeo (74%).
● A large portion (68%) attended Cheyenne Frontier Days during a previous year.
● Attending Cheyenne Frontier Days was the primary purpose for travel to Laramie County for the vast majority of overnight (79%) and day (97%) visitors.
● Just under half (49%) of Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees stayed overnight while traveling.
● Among overnight visitors, over half (68%) stayed in a hotel, motel, lodge, or B&B; most of the reminder stayed in private homes with friends and relatives, or in campgrounds.
● Cheyenne Frontier Days attendees traveled to or through a number of Wyoming communities and places including: Laramie, Casper, Yellowstone National Park, Jackson Hole, Snowy Range, and Cody.
Cheyenne Frontier Days
This article originally appeared on Oil City News. Used with permission.
The Wyoming Department of Health provides COVID-19 case, variant, death, testing, hospital and vaccine data online. The department also shares information about how the data can be interpreted. COVID-19 safety recommendations are available from the CDC.
