By Angela Brown
Northwest US Travel Expert, about.com
Wyoming's major festivals and gatherings happen throughout the year, with summer being especially filled with special events worth planning a getaway around. Wyoming frontier and Wild West days and cowboy traditions are the focus of many of these festivals, with county fairs, rodeos, and pow wows among each year's most popular events.
Cody Wild West Days (May)
Cody is a great destination any time of year, but if you visit during their annual Wild West Days check out their big horse sale and competitions. The Buffalo Bill Top Notch Horse Sale and barrel racing are the highlight events and are fun for both participants and spectators.
Cody is a great destination any time of year, but if you visit during their annual Wild West Days check out their big horse sale and competitions. The Buffalo Bill Top Notch Horse Sale and barrel racing are the highlight events and are fun for both participants and spectators.
Wyoming Brewers Festival (June)
This annual fundraising event for the Historic Union Pacific Depot in downtown Cheyenne provides an excellent opportunity to enjoy the area's best craft beers. The Wyoming Brewers Festival includes a homebrew competition along with live entertainment and tasty, beer-friendly food.
This annual fundraising event for the Historic Union Pacific Depot in downtown Cheyenne provides an excellent opportunity to enjoy the area's best craft beers. The Wyoming Brewers Festival includes a homebrew competition along with live entertainment and tasty, beer-friendly food.
And it's all for a very good cause. The Cheyenne
Depot, a National Historic Landmark, is a beloved community hub that
includes a museum and indoor and outdoor event spaces.
Flaming Gorge Days (June)
Packed with fun things to see and do, this Green River community festival helps kick off the summer. Whether you participate in the competition and games, or just relax and take in the good food and music, you'll find plenty of fun to be had at parks and venues around the area. There are traditional community festival events like a parade and food and crafts booths. Flaming Gorge Days also includes basketball, volleyball, dodge ball, and horse show tournaments. Outdoor concerts are held on Friday and Saturday nights, with Friday being "Country Night" and Saturday being "Rock Night."
Packed with fun things to see and do, this Green River community festival helps kick off the summer. Whether you participate in the competition and games, or just relax and take in the good food and music, you'll find plenty of fun to be had at parks and venues around the area. There are traditional community festival events like a parade and food and crafts booths. Flaming Gorge Days also includes basketball, volleyball, dodge ball, and horse show tournaments. Outdoor concerts are held on Friday and Saturday nights, with Friday being "Country Night" and Saturday being "Rock Night."
Lander Brew Fest (June)
Located south of the Wind River Reservation in Central Wyoming, the town of Lander has been hosting this annual beer festival for over a decade. Featuring beers brewed in the Rocky Mountain region. the Lander Brew Fest brings together the products of 20-plus brewers, available for you to taste. Each year a different category of beer is chosen for the competition, with beers awards based on both expert and "people's choice" judging. Golf, live music, a bike ride, and rugby are among the weekend's festivities.
Located south of the Wind River Reservation in Central Wyoming, the town of Lander has been hosting this annual beer festival for over a decade. Featuring beers brewed in the Rocky Mountain region. the Lander Brew Fest brings together the products of 20-plus brewers, available for you to taste. Each year a different category of beer is chosen for the competition, with beers awards based on both expert and "people's choice" judging. Golf, live music, a bike ride, and rugby are among the weekend's festivities.
Plains Indian Museum Pow Wow (June)
The Plains Indian Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, located in Cody, is an extraordinary place to visit and learn. In addition to the museum's artifacts and exhibits, they host a number of programs and events throughout the year, including the annual Plains Indian Museum Pow Wow. Attending a pow wow is a colorful and thrilling experience, filled with dance and music and cheerful faces. There are dance competitions, Native-made arts and crafts booths, and fancy costumes.
The Plains Indian Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, located in Cody, is an extraordinary place to visit and learn. In addition to the museum's artifacts and exhibits, they host a number of programs and events throughout the year, including the annual Plains Indian Museum Pow Wow. Attending a pow wow is a colorful and thrilling experience, filled with dance and music and cheerful faces. There are dance competitions, Native-made arts and crafts booths, and fancy costumes.
Cody Stampede Rodeo (July)
Held over Independence Day weekend, the Cody Stampede is a major PRCA rodeo. An annual event for almost 100 years, Cody Stampede includes the rodeo competitions as well as a parade, fireworks, and family-friendly street fair.
Held over Independence Day weekend, the Cody Stampede is a major PRCA rodeo. An annual event for almost 100 years, Cody Stampede includes the rodeo competitions as well as a parade, fireworks, and family-friendly street fair.
Laramie Jubilee Days (July)
Over a week full of fun stuff spanning two weekends, Laramie Jubilee Days includes daily rodeo events, a carnival, and a downtown street fair and dances. A grand parade is held on the second Saturday. A variety of other fun events take place during this Laramie community festival, from cooking competitions and pancake breakfasts to a fun run and a Wyoming Statehood Day celebration.
Over a week full of fun stuff spanning two weekends, Laramie Jubilee Days includes daily rodeo events, a carnival, and a downtown street fair and dances. A grand parade is held on the second Saturday. A variety of other fun events take place during this Laramie community festival, from cooking competitions and pancake breakfasts to a fun run and a Wyoming Statehood Day celebration.
Cheyenne Frontier Days (July)
This huge celebration of Cheyenne's Old West traditions include 10 days of fun things to see and do. Daily rodeo events, parades, a Native American village, food and drink competitions and tastings, a carnival, and big-name concerts are among the highlights. Other cool things to check out during Cheyenne Frontier Days include an air show, the Frontier Town, an Old West saloon, a wild horse race, an art show, and behind-the-scenes rodeo tours.
This huge celebration of Cheyenne's Old West traditions include 10 days of fun things to see and do. Daily rodeo events, parades, a Native American village, food and drink competitions and tastings, a carnival, and big-name concerts are among the highlights. Other cool things to check out during Cheyenne Frontier Days include an air show, the Frontier Town, an Old West saloon, a wild horse race, an art show, and behind-the-scenes rodeo tours.
Wyoming's Big Show: Sweetwater County Fair (July)
A big old fashioned country fair done Western style, this Rock Springs event runs for over a week during the height of summer. Lots of tasty sugary and fatty food, carnival rides and midway games, and 4-H and livestock exhibits are among the traditional county fair favorites you can enjoy. Rodeo and equestrian events are on the fair schedule. The evenings bring the Sweetwater County Fair After Dark Concert Series, featuring popular bands such as Florida Georgia Line and the Eli Young Band.
A big old fashioned country fair done Western style, this Rock Springs event runs for over a week during the height of summer. Lots of tasty sugary and fatty food, carnival rides and midway games, and 4-H and livestock exhibits are among the traditional county fair favorites you can enjoy. Rodeo and equestrian events are on the fair schedule. The evenings bring the Sweetwater County Fair After Dark Concert Series, featuring popular bands such as Florida Georgia Line and the Eli Young Band.
Sheridan WYO Rodeo Week (July)
An annual event for over eight decades, Sheridan WYO Rodeo Week finds all kinds of ways to celebrate rodeo. In addition to world-class professional rodeo performances, there's the Sneakers & Spurs Rodeo Run, the Spurs & Spikes Golf Tournament, a carnival, rodeo royalty, and a parade. Other competitions and festivities held during this annual Sheridan event include the World Championship Indian Relay Races, a pow wow, an art show, and street dances.
An annual event for over eight decades, Sheridan WYO Rodeo Week finds all kinds of ways to celebrate rodeo. In addition to world-class professional rodeo performances, there's the Sneakers & Spurs Rodeo Run, the Spurs & Spikes Golf Tournament, a carnival, rodeo royalty, and a parade. Other competitions and festivities held during this annual Sheridan event include the World Championship Indian Relay Races, a pow wow, an art show, and street dances.
Grand Encampment Cowboy Gathering (July)
Held in the town of Encampment, near Wyoming's southern border, this event focuses on preserving and promoting the cowboy way of life. Dutch oven cooking, cowboy poetry, and campfire jam sessions are all on the schedule. Children can participate in a stick horse rodeo.
Held in the town of Encampment, near Wyoming's southern border, this event focuses on preserving and promoting the cowboy way of life. Dutch oven cooking, cowboy poetry, and campfire jam sessions are all on the schedule. Children can participate in a stick horse rodeo.
Central Wyoming Fair & Rodeo (July)
Held every year at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds in Casper, this traditional fair and rodeo is fun for the whole family. Kids will enjoy participating in the competitions, the live entertainment, and the parade. Everyone will be thrilled by the PRCA rodeo and carnival rides.
Held every year at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds in Casper, this traditional fair and rodeo is fun for the whole family. Kids will enjoy participating in the competitions, the live entertainment, and the parade. Everyone will be thrilled by the PRCA rodeo and carnival rides.
Wyoming State Fair and Rodeo (August)
The town of Douglas, Wyoming, has been the site of the official state fair for a hundred years. The 4-H and FFA activities and competitions provide young people the opportunity to learn and share their skills. PRCA rodeo is part of the fun, with events spread out over three days. The Wyoming State Fair includes all the usual fair favorites - carnival rides, food booths, grand stand concerts and entertainment, commercial booths, and free live entertainment.
The town of Douglas, Wyoming, has been the site of the official state fair for a hundred years. The 4-H and FFA activities and competitions provide young people the opportunity to learn and share their skills. PRCA rodeo is part of the fun, with events spread out over three days. The Wyoming State Fair includes all the usual fair favorites - carnival rides, food booths, grand stand concerts and entertainment, commercial booths, and free live entertainment.
Fort Bridger Rendezvous (Labor Day Weekend)
Among the largest mountain man gatherings in the US, the Fort Bridger Rendezvous preserves and celebrates the traditions and lifestyle of the fur trade era of the early 19th century. Like the actual fur rendezvous of that era, this event is filled with ceremony and the sharing of skills, with competitions for everything from shooting and knife skills to fry pan throwing and dutch oven cooking. Native American dancers, storytelling, and historic lectures are also on the annual Fort Bridger Rendezvous schedule.
Among the largest mountain man gatherings in the US, the Fort Bridger Rendezvous preserves and celebrates the traditions and lifestyle of the fur trade era of the early 19th century. Like the actual fur rendezvous of that era, this event is filled with ceremony and the sharing of skills, with competitions for everything from shooting and knife skills to fry pan throwing and dutch oven cooking. Native American dancers, storytelling, and historic lectures are also on the annual Fort Bridger Rendezvous schedule.
