Stock Show No-Go: National Western Stock Show Postponed to 2022

2020 has been the year of cancelled events, and it looks like 2021 might follow suit.

The National Western Stock Show announced in a press release on Monday (September 14) that its 115th show in Denver has been postponed until January of 2022 due to COVID-19 concerns.

"The COVID-19 pandemic does not allow for the Stock Show to host the annual event and comply with the health and safety guidelines that are necessary to protect Coloradans and help stop the spread," said the release. "More importantly, the projected environment through to the end of the year is too uncertain and therefore not reassuring enough to allow a traditional Stock Show to take place without potentially compromising the health and safety of exhibitors, visitors, and the public at large."

While virus restrictions could possibly ease by the event's original date in January 2021, President and CEO of the National Western Stock Show (NWSS) Paul Andrews said that organizers had to make the decision early to avoid wasted time and cancellation costs.

The Stock Show usually welcomes more than 700,000 guests over its 16-day run. And although crowds like that don't mesh with a pandemic, organizers believe the event will be back in full force in the future.

"The decision to postpone the 2021 Stock Show is incredibly difficult for our Board of Directors, staff, volunteers, business partners, and the City and County of Denver," said Doug Jones, Chairman of the Western Stock Show Association (WSSA), in the release. "But the iconic western events and traditions we all know and love will be back in 2022, stronger than ever."

The show is now set to run from January 8-23, 2022.