DENVER, CO – The National Western Stock Show — a Denver tradition for more than 100 years — won’t happen in 2021 because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, stock show officials announced Monday.
The decision to cancel the show needed to be made now because of the expenses and planning that go into it, President and CEO Paul Andrews said. Organizers considered a virtual show and other options but rejected them.
Officials from the NWSS and Western Stock Show Association say the decision to postpone the show until 2022 was difficult after exhausting every possible option to host a modified show even at reduced capacity.
They say the event could not be held while complying with the COVID-19 health and safety guidelines necessary to protect exhibitor, visitors, and the public- taking into account the virus could spread easily indoors in the middle of winter.
The stock show is the largest agricultural show in Colorado with nearly 900 booths each year, drawing about 700,000 attendees, according to Jones. It has an economic impact of $120 million, he said.
The National Western website puts the economic impact of all events organized for the show each year at $115 million with 60% of that money coming from non-local sources. It generates more than $6 million in state and local tax revenues, according to the association.
The 2021 National Western Stock Show was scheduled to begin January 9th in Denver, Colorado. The 2022 show will run from Jan. 8 to Jan. 23, 2022 and will include the grand opening of the new and Stockyards Event Center.
The show has only been cancelled one other time due to hoof and mouth disease in 1915
