Under Winter Banners
Wyoming. My arch nemesis. Or rather... My ex-arch nemesis (Salt Lake City recently took over).
Winter Knights of Cheyenne was a strange event for me personally. Not in a bad way, not in a great way either. Just... strange. It's a bit hard for me to get my thoughts into words.
First off, it was an inside event. I was placed directly in front of the jousting arena. From a patron perspective? Incredible. I haven't actually watched a full joust in years because I'm usually working when they happen. Being able to see it up close was genuinely fun (even if it was a bit loud).
From a vendor perspective? Complicated. When the jousting started, the energy in the building spiked instantly. People gathered and cheered, and it was immersive and exciting. However, they stood directly in front of my booth.
It became clear quickly that this event was joust first, marketplace second. The arena was the heartbeat of the weekend, and everything else was secondary. If I did this event again, I would bring a completely different set of products.
Which meant that while the crowd was technically there, they weren't circulating. People who wanted to browse had to squeeze through or wait. The traffic wasn't absent- it was interrupted. Sales came in jerky waves. Silence. Then another smaller wave. It wasn't explosive or disastrous. It was... inconsistent.
By the end of the weekend, I felt like I'd been run over by a bus. The hours themselves weren't brutal, and being indoors helped. But I made the decision to drive 1.5 hours each way instead of getting a hotel like I normally do. Financially it made sense, but mentally? I'm not sure it did. The long days, indoor air, horses, noise and drive home in the dark added up in ways I didn't fully anticipate.
Winter Knights of Cheyenne didn't leave me discouraged, but it didn't leave me energized either. It left me thoughtful.
It reminded me that proximity to the main attraction isn't always the advantage it seems. The energy doesn't automatically translate to engagement. And sometimes the smartest financial decision on paper can cost you more in stamina than you expect.
One thing I truly appreciated was that the event coordinator seemed to genuinely care. She checked on vendors during the event, and later sent out a feedback form asking for both the good and the bad. That kind of follow through feels rare, and I respect that they're working to make the event stronger each year. If I find myself in the area this time next year, I definitely would love to be apart of it again, but this time with new eyes.