DENVER — If you notice your neighbor's Christmas lights are still on, it's not because they're lazy.
They might be taking part in the Colorado tradition of keeping Christmas lights up through the National Western Stock Show in Denver.
A tradition since 1906, the part-rodeo, part-livestock show and part-fair brings hundreds of thousands of people to the National Western Complex each year for a celebration of our state’s agricultural heritage.
National Western Stock Show CEO Paul Andrews said everyone associated with the show participates in this holiday tradition.
While some of the details behind the tradition have been lost in time, the custom of keeping Christmas lights on through the end of the Stock Show dates back to 1922, when Christmas lights were first hung outside the Denver City and County Building.
Denver leaders encouraged residents in the 1940s to continue the tradition of leaving up their Christmas lights to welcome visitors and to keep the city looking festive in January.
Each year, people from 48 states and 32 countries travel to Denver for the National Western Stock Show. In 2022, nearly 600,000 guests came during the 16-day western celebration.
"It's important we show them much love, and the Christmas lights were just one idea to help do that," Andrews said.
The Castle Rock Star also remains lit every year from Thanksgiving until the end of the National Western Stock Show.
The 117th annual National Western Stock Show and Rodeo runs from Saturday, Jan. 7, to Sunday, Jan. 22, at the National Western Complex and Denver Coliseum at Interstate 70 and Brighton Boulevard.
9NEWS is a corporate partner of the National Western Stock Show.
National Western Stock Show and Rodeo
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