CHEYENNE, Wyoming — Tickets to see Garth Brooks' return to Cheyenne Frontier Days (CFD) sold out in less than an hour Thursday morning.
While some buyers were able to get tickets, others were placed in a virtual waiting room for up to an hour without getting the opportunity to purchase tickets before they were gone.
Tickets for the 125th annual Cheyenne Frontier Days went on sale at 9 a.m. Thursday.
CFD opens Friday, July 23 and continues through Sunday, Aug. 1. Brooks will kick off the CFD concert lineup on July 23.
Tickets also went on sale Thursday morning for concerts with Blake Shelton, Eric Church, Thomas Rhett, Kane Brown, Marren Morris and Cody Johnson, as well as CFD's full schedule of Professional Bull Riders (PBR) and daily rodeos.
RELATED: Cheyenne Frontier Days 2021 schedule
"Hey Cheyenne, Garth Brooks here, proud to say I cannot wait to see you for the 125th," Brooks said in a video message. "I carry my buckle from the 100th everywhere I go. If you've seen us, you've seen me wear it — award shows, album covers, still have that thing."
This summer, a bronze statue of Chris LeDoux is to be added to the sculpture collection at Frontier Park. The sculpture from D. Michael Thomas of Buffalo, Wyoming, memorializes the ties of Chris LeDoux to rodeo, music and CFD history.
"One of my favorite memories is the fact that I got to play with Chris LeDoux, the man," Brooks said. "So I can't thank you for all the gifts you've given me. I'm looking forward to the 125th. I'm looking forward to the fact that it's dedicated to Chris. Can't wait for the unveiling of the statue."
"I am going to need a buckle belt to go with my 100, so 125, right next to 100. Thanks for remembering me," Brooks said. "Thanks for giving me some of the greatest moments of my life — to come, as well. I love you guys. Cowboy up."
Held the last full week of July, Cheyenne Frontier Days is a huge, 10-day western celebration. The event has been held since 1897 so that Cheyenne can celebrate its Old West roots.
In addition to the world-class Frontier Nights entertainment acts, the event offers the world's largest outdoor rodeo – which draws the top pros who compete for more than $1 million in prize money. A Frontier Days belt buckle is among the most coveted prizes in rodeo.
In 2020, CFD was canceled for the first time in its 124-year history. Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr said that organizers decided the risk of spreading the virus was too great for the more than 140,000 people who visit Cheyenne for Frontier Days.
Frontier Days carried on through both World Wars and the Great Depression, when tough finances prompted it to become a mostly volunteer-run festival of rodeo, music concerts, parades and other events.
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