Longhorn steers walk down 17th avenue in Downtown Denver during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)
Longhorn steers walk down 17th street in Downtown Denver during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Longhorn steers walk down 17th street in Downtown Denver during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)A rider with the Mexican Rodeo Extravaganza shows off his riding skills during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade down 17th Street in Downtown Denver on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)People blow bubbles from a parade float during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade down 17th Street in Downtown Denver on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Dancers walk down 17th street during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade in Downtown Denver on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Longhorn steers walk down 17th street in Downtown Denver during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)A woman rides her horse down 17th street during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade in Downtown Denver on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)A man shows off his lasso skills during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade down 17th Street in Downtown Denver on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Longhorn steers walk down 17th street in Downtown Denver during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Longhorn steers walk down 17th street in Downtown Denver during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Longhorn steers walk down 17th street in Downtown Denver during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Students from Polaris Elementary watch the 2026 National Western Stock Show parade in Denver on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. Adalie Herman, 10, (hat and pink bandana) said the bulls were her favorite. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston waves to the crowds lining 17th Street for the National Western Stock Show Parade on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Denver. The new National Western Stock Show CEO Wes Allison (right) waves to the crowd at the Stock Show parade on 17th Street in downtown Denver, on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. It’s Allison’s first NWSS parade since he started in 2025. The Westernaires ride horses down 17th street during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade in Downtown Denver on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Longhorn steers walk down 17th street in Downtown Denver during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Miniature horses walk down 17th street during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade in Downtown Denver on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026.
(Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)Longhorn steers walk down 17th street in Downtown Denver during the National Western Stock Show kickoff parade on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Stephen Swofford, Denver Gazette)
