LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Santas wearing cowboy hats, nutcrackers holding lassos, and reindeer with saddles are best sellers for Anita Baptiste during Cowboy Christmas at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“I’m an artist and I design all my own items,” Baptiste said. “I’ve got a clientele coming through every year looking for new pieces. I am so happy to be back.”
The huge holiday shopping market rides into town while the National Finals Rodeo comes to Las Vegas. More than 350 exhibitors from across the country sell western paraphernalia including cowboy hats and boots, saddles, spurs, furniture, western artwork, arts and crafts, jewelry, purses, home goods, and more. However, in 2022, Cowboy Christmas organizers wanted to give guests an experience.
“We have this brand new Cowboy Christmas village,” said Cheryl Kocvara, Cowboy Christmas Operations Manager. “It’s going to have a candy cane wall so the kids can go pull a candy cane off the wall. “We’re trying to make it so that when you come to Cowboy Christmas it's just to shop. You want it to be an experience.”
Elements for 2022 include the Ariat Rodeo Live Stage, Ranch Water Rodeo Saloon, Wrangler Rodeo Arena, Bites & Brews and NFR After Dark presented by Community Coffee. One of the new elements this year is the Cowboy Christmas Village presented by Clint Orms. This festive area will include a Candy Cane and Cowboy Kissmas Arch Photo Walls, a custom 12-foot Christmas tree with a tiny train and village, and daily appearances by Santa Claus from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For the seventh year, the YETI Junior World Finals will be held in Las Vegas. There will be qualifiers and finals in nine events: bull riding, bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, breakaway, pole bending, team roping, tie-down roping, and barrel racing.
After the convention closes down daily, each evening, the NFR Express provides a complimentary shuttle bus service from The Cowboy Channel Cowboy Christmas directly to the Thomas & Mack Center for the Wrangler NFR.
