Rodeo Roundup Kicks Off the 2020 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ Festivities
The celebration leading up to opening day of the 2020 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo begins Tuesday, Feb. 25, with Rodeo Roundup.
RODEO ROUNDUP & GO TEXAN DAY
All Houstonians are invited to attend this free event in downtown Houston, Tuesday, Feb. 25 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Houston City Hall in Hermann Square. Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Go Texan Day proclamation will kick off the event, followed by free lunch. Enjoy live music, take your photo atop a Texas Longhorn steer and visit with Rodeo volunteers representing more than 100 committees to learn more about this annual Houston tradition. Learn more about Rodeo Roundup here. Go Texan Day, the city-wide celebration of Western heritage, is Friday, Feb. 28. As the unofficial kickoff of the Houston Livestock show and Rodeo, everyone in the Houston community is encouraged to wear their best Western attire. Get ready for Rodeo in your favorite jeans, boots and cowboy hats. Learn more about Go Texan Day here.
WORLD’S CHAMPIONSHIP BAR-B-QUE CONTEST
More than 250 barbecue teams will compete in the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, Feb. 27 – 29. Over the course of three days, teams from across the state of Texas and the world will compete for champion titles in the following categories: Brisket, Ribs, Chicken, Go Texan and Dutch Oven Dessert, and new this year, a Jr. Cook-off Contest. The Jr. Cook-off Contest will take place Saturday, Feb. 29 at 9 a.m. in the Garden area. Young chefs, between the ages of 8 and 14, will compete to see who can cook the best steak. Awards for the Jr. Cook-off Contest will be presented at 11 a.m.
Most Bar-B-Que Contest team tents are invitation-only, but visitors are welcome to enjoy a sliced brisket plate with chips and beans from the Chuckwagon, included in the cost of admission. Enjoy live music daily at The Garden Stage, sponsored by Miller Lite, and the Rockin’ Bar-B-Que Saloon. Click here to purchase Bar-B-Que Contest tickets. View the entertainment schedule here: rodeohouston.com/Visit-the-Rodeo/Pre-Rodeo-Events/Bar-B-Que-Contest.
TRAIL RIDES
On Friday, Feb. 28, horses and wagons from 12 trail rides will make their way through the city streets to merge and camp one final night at Memorial Park before participating in the Downtown Rodeo Parade, Saturday, Feb. 29. This continues a more-than-65-year-old tradition that keeps Western heritage alive in the nation’s fourth largest city. Anyone who came out to see the trail rides arrive in Houston are also invited to join the awards presentation in Memorial Park at 5 p.m.
RODEO RUN, PRESENTED BY CONOCOPHILLIPS
Get a running start to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo and participate in Rodeo Run, presented by ConocoPhillips, Saturday, Feb. 29. The run will precede the Downtown Rodeo Parade and will kick off at 9:10 a.m. with the wheelchair race, followed by the 5K and 10K elite, 10K timed and 5K timed events. If you can’t make the event, check out the Sleep-In option. Sign up today rodeohouston.com/Visit-the-Show/Pre-Show-Events/Rodeo-Run.
DOWNTOWN RODEO PARADE
The 2020 Downtown Rodeo Parade will be held Saturday, Feb. 29 at 10 a.m. Leading the parade will be past and present Rodeo scholarship recipients representing each decade, including the first-ever Rodeo scholar Ben Dickerson. The best places to view the parade are on Louisiana, from Bell to Lamar, and from Louisiana to Smith. Arrive early to secure a viewing spot along the route, which begins at Bagby and Walker streets, travels from Travis to Bell Street, and from Bell Street to Louisiana Street, before turning on Lamar Street, and ends at Lamar and Bagby. For more information about the Downtown Rodeo Parade, visit rodeohouston.com/Visit-the-Rodeo/Pre-Rodeo-Events/Parade.
There are still tickets available for many of the 2020 RODEOHOUSTON performances. View the concert lineup and purchase tickets here: rodeohouston.com/Buy-Tickets/Rodeo-Concert-Tickets.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo promotes agriculture by hosting an annual, family-friendly experience that educates and entertains the public, supports Texas youth, showcases Western heritage and provides year-round educational support within the community. Since its beginning in 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $500 million to the youth of Texas. For more information, visit rodeohouston.com and connect with RODEOHOUSTON online via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube for all the latest news. The 2020 Rodeo is scheduled for March 3 – 22.