Last night Cassie and I rode our bikes down to the fairgrounds. We have the 4th of July Greeley Independence Stampede every year. We get concerts, rides, food and a rodeo. We were talking about it because to us its completely normal to have a huge fair every year. I am sure that a lot of towns and cities just do fireworks and a parade. Which reminds me, we have a parade too!
Ferris Wheel
There are quite a few people that always turn out. People from all over (WY,NE,KS,NM,MT,UT,TX,ETC) drive into Greeley to compete in the rodeo. Our hotels get filled up as well as the local restaurants. Speaking of food they had quite a bit at the fair. Look at all the people!
Lots of people
You can get all kinds of BBQ style foods. The new rage is fried everything (Fried twinkies, fried snickers bars, fried coke, fried Oreos, Fried Pickles).
Fried Twinkies. Click to enlarge…Eat to enlarge.
We got in on some traditional BBQ for the County employees. A simple hog roast, not a fried hog. And yes….That is a boot as a centerpiece. No flowers in it or anything, just….a dirty old boot.
Our meal + boot
Cassie
Britton
Fried twinkies and gas guzzling full size hummers with flames on the side. Only in America…and hey, it’s America’s birthday.
Here is a video so you can feel like you’re there too!
This is a walk thru the midway area with the carnies
We haven’t been here for years. The last time we went was with Grandma and Grandpa, the kids were little. Going to miss it this year too. I’m heart broken.. NOT, lol.
It looks fun. I have never been to a rodeo show and would like to check it out, maybe next year.
Fried sneaker bars…sounds interesting….
TNK- It’s not so bad. I have grown to appreciate Greeley for what it is and what it has (and doesn’t) . The Stampede is definitely one of the biggest events for Greeley- probably the only time tourists or visitors come to Greeley if they don’t know someone here. I’m sure it’s different if for people if they are just visiting compared to living here our whole lives.
Celina- I’ve gone to quite a few rodeos and they are definitely worth seeing at least once to get a taste of the Wild West. I kind of find some of the rodeo activities a little rough on the animals (like the calf-roping) and between events it is kind of slow. When I was in Mexico I saw a bullfight too, to experience the culture -and that was even worse- watching the bull die in the ring. Rodeo is actually a Spanish term for the “rounding up” in the ring.
I have yet to try the fried snickers (or SNEAKERS! 🙂 or other strange concoctions…but I have had funnel cakes (fried dough) and a few of the other mainstays like cotton candy. At least it’s only here once a year (unlike McDonalds etc) or we’d (society) have even worse food-related health problems!
I love the Stampede. Hooray for Greeley!
damn Im glad that hell hole is 1200 miles away
Damon, California has turned you so yuppie.