Want to saddle up at the bar during the National Western Stock Show? You’ve got options this season, including a new pop-up saloon at The Exchange, the freshly transformed, 125-year-old Livestock Exchange Building.
Wide Open Saloon, a beloved Sedalia entertainment and dining destination, is bringing a limited residency to the Stock Show from Jan. 8-24 to coincide with the 120th installment of the Stock Show.
Wide Open Saloon will operate a pop-up at The Exchange during the National Western Stock Show. (Provided by Wide Open Saloon)
The saloon, which will be slinging beer, bourbon and barbecue and hosting no-cover entertainment, will take over the second level of The Exchange. The space will be transformed into a full bar and dining hall, operating from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
And what’s a Stock Show without some good quality beef?
Riot BBQ — led by Chef Manny Barella Lopez, a James Beard Foundation Emerging Chef semifinalist and “Top Chef” alum, alongside pitmaster Patrick Klaiber — will headline the food program. Opened in June in the former AJ’s Pit Bar-B-Q space, Riot BBQ is known for its Texas-meets-Northern Mexico style. Lopez and Klaiber will bring a creative barbecue-centric menu to the yards. The menu will include barbecue platters featuring brisket, turkey, pulled pork, ribs, and pre-made brisket and pulled pork sandwiches, along with sides.
Live entertainment will set the soundtrack of the saloon throughout the Stock Show. Daytime acts will include soloists or duos, and evenings will feature full bands spanning country, rock, and regional favorites. All programming will remain free and open to the public.
But if you’re one for tradition and spent the past couple of decades at the Denver Stockyard Saloon, you should know your longtime watering hole has relocated.
An overflowing crowd lunches at the Denver Stockyard Saloon in The Livestock Exchange Building at the National Western Stock on Jan. 17, 2019. (Photo by Joe Amon/The Denver Post)
After nearly 25 years of welcoming Stock Show crowds, the Saloon served its last round in 2025, leaving its longtime home in the historic Livestock Exchange Building after the property closed for renovations and its lease wasn’t renewed by the new owners.
The Denver Stockyard Saloon, now located at 11810 West Colfax Ave. in Lakewood, will continue its steak and prime rib dinners throughout the Stock Show, with live music every night. Owner Dean Maus expects to welcome some familiar faces who were regulars over the years.
“People are looking for a place to visit, catch up, and they want the honky tonk in the background,” he said.
Here are some more spots to grab a drink while the Stock Show is in town:
New
- Inside The Legacy at the National Western Stock Show grounds, the Legacy Saloon will open up with an old-time saloon feel that exudes the American West. This is the spot to grab a limited-release beer created by Coors Sandlot Brewery just for the Stock Show.
- An oldie but a goodie: You’ll find the reimagined Coors Banquet Hall inside the Livestock Center.
- Casamigos will be the Stock Show’s new tequila sponsor. The tequila maker will get its own bar at the 2026 National Western Stock Show. Look for it in the Main Expo Hall, steps away from the North Ticket Lobby.
Returning
- Within the Main Complex, The Pendleton Corral is a popular gathering place and a photo spot with the iconic Welcome to Colorado sign. It’s a spot to enjoy a drink, watch live sports, and catch up with friends.
- In 2026, The Wine Bar will feature eight curated wines, highlighted by selections from Smith & Hook and Dark Horse.
- Find live music, a bite to eat, and a wide selection of drinks at the Cowboy Courtyard, which is on the South side of the Expo Hall.
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