A sunny, warm reprieve from recent cold and snowy weather could make Saturday a great opening day for the 109th National Western Stock Show.
Denver’s 16-day celebration of the Western spirit opens at 9 a.m. at the National Western Complex.
Saturday’s weather forecast calls for a high of 52 degrees, but rain could return Sunday with the expected high of 44. Snow and highs in the 30s return at the beginning of the week, .
“Fingers are crossed for tomorrow,” veteran stock show vendor Ann Lipton said Friday as she readied her clothing booth. “If a lot of people are looking at the forecast, they’ll come tomorrow.”
Gov. John Hickenlooper praised this year’s event after the annual Boots ‘N Business lunch at the National Western Complex on Friday.
“This year is better than anything I’ve seen before, and it really does (reflect) that spirit of how much the stock show means to us but really how much agriculture means to us,” Hickenlooper said in an interview.
The break in the weather should benefit the inaugural National Western BBQ Throwdown, which is outdoors, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Over the next 16 days — if history is any guide — more than 600,000 spectators will fill the 100-acre grounds.
This weekend is the only time to see the Rocky Mountain Fiddle Championships in the Beef Palace Auction Arena. Fiddlers ranging from small children to gray-haired veterans compete.
The performances are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Sunday.
