The 102nd annual Greeley Stampede kicks off Wednesday with a full concert lineup

GREELEY, Colo. – Brace yourself for funnel cakes, live music and all the rodeo action you can handle. The 102nd annual Greeley Stampede kicks off Wednesday.

The age-old celebration honors Western and indigenous lifestyles.

“We are in full setup mode right now,” said Julie Jensen, general president of the Greeley Stampede.

It is a tradition that dates back to 1922.

“The Western lifestyle is really a big part of what our community is about,” Jensen said. “It’s togetherness, it’s community. So we celebrate this holiday every year and celebrate that lifestyle. When people walk through the doors tomorrow, everything will be taken care of. Everything is open. The food vendors are open, the carnival boys are ready to take you on a ride, and the arena opens.

The late rodeo that takes place on Tuesday is a kind of preparation for the competition.

“At each rodeo performance we have a certain number of events, and we only have room for a certain amount of money for participants,” Jensen said. “So if we have more registrations than enough space and time for the actual rodeo, those people can come out, relax and try to qualify for the finals.”

“I grew up here,” says steer wrestler Gage Hesse. “I grew up showing cattle here and competing in the local roping events and stuff. So I’ve lived here all my life.”

Hessen is originally from Colorado and describes this time of year as “Cowboy Christmas.”

“It’s the best time of the year for us,” Hesse said. “You know, we could go to a rodeo every day for the next two weeks.”

The Greeley Stampede kicks off June 26 through July 7, kicking off all the annual excitement and energy it has had in years past.

“We want to have some fun together,” Jensen said. “Come support the community and celebrate that heritage.”

This year’s concert lineup includes Old Dominion, TI, Cheap Trick and Chris Young. Click here for tickets and more information.