Cowboy Christmas, Junior World Finals leaving Las Vegas with NFR
Two National Finals Rodeo ancillary events are moving to Texas for a year along with the rodeo.
Cowboy Christmas, a large retail event featuring Western gifts, and the Junior World Finals will be staged in Fort Worth when the National Finals Rodeo temporarily moves to Globe Life Field in Arlington Dec. 3-12, a representative of Las Vegas Events confirmed Tuesday.
Events were shifted to Texas because Nevada’s measures to reduce the spread of the coronavirus prohibit large gatherings. Texas has no such restrictions. Representatives of Globe Life Field, the new baseball stadium that is home to the Texas Rangers, announced Sept. 9 that they would host the rodeo.
Cowboy Christmas draws about 250,000 people a year. The National Finals Rodeo annually produces an economic impact estimated at $200 million.
Las Vegas Events indicated in August that if the rodeo were to move temporarily that other events could move with it and there was no chance for Cowboy Christmas to occur in Las Vegas during the rodeo.
Cowboy Christmas will be operated from the Fort Worth Convention Center, about 20 minutes away from the rodeo venue site, while the Junior World Finals will be at the Cowtown Coliseum in the Fort Worth Stockyards.
“While it’s unfortunate we will not present Cowboy Christmas in Las Vegas, we look forward to sharing this unique western shopping and lifestyle experience with our fans in Fort Worth,” Las Vegas Events President Pat Christenson said.
“Fort Worth is thrilled to host Cowboy Christmas and the Junior World Finals this December,” Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price said. “As the city of cowboys and culture, Fort Worth is the ideal location for these events, and we can’t wait for visitors to experience our rich heritage and hospitality.”
Cowboy Christmas, a free event, has been a part of the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas since 1986. The Junior World Finals, which include nine rodeo events, are being held for the fifth straight year.
Contact Richard N. Velotta at rvelotta@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893. Follow @RickVelotta on Twitter.