And so it begins with a Grand Parade through the center of downtown Cheyenne, WY!
I had the pleasure of watching the first parade of Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) today with my family. The streets were packed. It was hard to find a parking place. It was hot. Curbside seats were difficult to come by and especially in the shade. It was long, nearly an hour and twenty minutes. But, I loved every minute of it!
Every year the parades remind me how much I enjoy being a part of the Cheyenne community! To see such a display, of military men and women marching, military might, all three high school bands, individuals riding horses, beautiful horse teams pulling huge wagons, fun music on many floats, folks participating from infants to 90+ years old. old cars, old tractors, local and visiting rodeo royalty, and a crazy beer throwing float, it makes me grateful for the chance to take this walk back in time.
It always amazes me how much time it takes to plan, prepare and produce these parades. It takes a group of volunteers just to organize the volunteers! They organize who will participate in each parade, prep the period costumes, hand out the costumes and recollect them at the end of CFD.
Another group has the task of maintaining all of the period wagons. Security, traffic control, timing, announcers, organizing parade participates are just a few other areas where volunteers are used. I am so impressed that Cheyenne year after year has such committed volunteers to this large part of Cheyenne Frontier Days. My hat is off to each one!
CFD was first held in 1897. History says that prior to 1925 the parades were wild happenings with guns firing through the streets of Cheyenne. I wish I could watch a video of that! Today the parades are a perfect family event. Remember to pack your chairs, sunscreen, hats and water. Here’s the schedule for the rest of the week. Have fun!