Get your cowboy hats and boots ready — the National Western Stock Show is back in town for its 120th year.
This year’s festivities will kick off on Thursday with the annual parade through downtown Denver. Horses and cattle will march from Union Station to 17th Street and Glenarm Place starting at noon. Drivers should seek alternative routes around the parade route.
After that, the stock show will run through Jan. 25 at the National Western Center in Globeville and Elyria-Swansea.
Ticketing information for the Stock Show
Specific events and shows held at the National Western Center’s three arenas, like rodeo events and the Xtreme Dog Show, will have varying ticket prices and availability. Visitors are encouraged to check the events calendar, choose the event they want to attend, and purchase tickets accordingly.
There are separate tickets for access to the Stock Show grounds, where you can look at art, visit a petting zoo, attend auctions, shop at hundreds of retail booths, and more. The ticket prices change depending on the day and your age.
- Adults: $5 – $37
- Kids (3-11): $2 – $9
- 2 and under: Free
- Guest badge for all 16 days: $88
Grounds admission also includes access to some shows, like the Colorado Fiddle Championships, the Mile High Open Auctioneer Championship and various live music performances.
Many of this year’s events are returning from previous Stock Shows. Check our guide from last year for some recommendations.
How to get there.
Parking can get complicated at the Western Center, with lots typically filling up early in the day. The lots are clearly marked at Park Avenue and Wazee Street.
Organizers recommend parking at the Coors Field parking lot at 1601 Park Ave West and taking a complimentary shuttle to the Western Center. The shuttle starts at 8 a.m. and runs every 10-15 minutes. Shuttle pickup and drop-off happen at the Hall of Education.
For those taking rideshare, there is a designated pick-up and drop-off point in front of the Denver Coliseum.
For public transit users, there are several options.
The RTD N Line also stops at the National Western Center. The commuter rail line travels from Union Station and Northglenn. There is also an A Line stop at 38th and Blake, about a mile away from the Stock Show. The 48 bus, which runs between Wade Blank Civic Center Station in downtown Denver and Commerce City, also has a nearby stop.
What’s new with the National Western Center?
Last month, the Western Center officially opened the Sue Anschutz-Rodgers Livestock Center. The building features a new 5,000-seat arena, a 200,000 square foot livestock hall, an auction arena and more.
Also opened last year was The Legacy, a 115,000-square-foot building that acts as the new headquarters for the Western Stock Show Association. The building will host “education, arts, hospitality, and community programming year-round.”
The Western Center’s expansion isn’t done. Denver City Council recently approved $812 million for the next phase of construction on the campus. The money will pay for a new equestrian center, a 160-room hotel, a parking garage and more.
