

The 2025 National Western Stock Show: A Record-Breaking Event in Denver
Jan 28
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Story Courtesy of Paul Heskett
As the 2025 National Western Stock Show wraps up, Denverites can now pack away their holiday lights. This tradition sees many Denver residents keeping their Christmas lights up and glowing throughout the stock show. Now that the show has ended, the lights can come down until next year's 120th National Western Stock Show.
This year's event, touted as the best 16 days in January, drew to a close with impressive statistics. Over 658,109 visitors flocked to the show during its two-week and two-day run, braving the cold weather to don their cowboy hats and partake in the festivities. Although this year's attendance didn’t break the record set in 2006—when 726,973 people attended the 100th anniversary show—the turnout was remarkable given the frigid conditions. For 91 hours straight, temperatures remained below freezing, making this year's stock show one of the coldest on record.
A significant highlight of the event was the Junior Livestock Championship auction, where 98 animals fetched a record-breaking $1,452,500, the highest total in stock show history. The proceeds from the auction will benefit the National Western Scholarship Trust, which provides scholarships to students pursuing careers in agriculture and rural medicine.
Now that the stock show is over, Denver will bid farewell to this year's spectacle and look forward to the 2026 event in the new facilities. Until then, the city's Christmas tree lights will be stored away, ready to shine again next year.