HOUSTON — The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a favorite family-friendly tradition that kicks off Monday, Feb. 28 and runs through March 20.
COVID cut it short in 2020 and shut it down last year, so Houstonians are ready and rarin' to rodeo again!
The 2022 event is extra special as they celebrate their 90th anniversary.
The video above originally aired on Feb. 18.
For rodeo rookies who aren’t from around these parts -- and anyone else who's not a regular -- we’ve put together this guide with everything you need to know before you rodeo.
Top 10 reasons to go to the Rodeo
There are a thousands of reasons the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo attracts millions of country and city folk every year. We’ve compiled our own top 10 list:
- It’s a good bang for your buck. From country and pop to Latin and hip hop, the concert lineup is packed with stars you can see for as little as $20 a pop. RELATED: RodeoHouston announces full entertainment lineup
- Your concert ticket also includes the nightly rodeo action featuring top cowboys and cowgirls competing on bucking bulls and broncs or racing around barrels.
- The cute and courageous kids who take part in the mutton bustin’ and calf scramble each night at RodeoHouston will make your heart smile.
- The nightly tribute to bucking horses is magical and never gets old.
5. If rodeo action and live music aren't your thing, the Carnival offers 80 rides, 54 games and 36 food stands. There's a carnival area for little kids on the east side closest to Fannin with a petting zoo and pony rides. The price of admission is $15 for ages 13 and up, $5 for kids 5-12 and children two and under are free. Those tickets also include the Livestock Show.
6. The food is fabulous! Come hungry and leave your diet at home. And don't worry about the calories in all that fried food -- you're going to do A LOT of walking to burn them off. (Tip: If your cowboy boots aren't already broken in, wear sneakers)
7. You can get up close and personal with pigs, cows, llamas, bunnies and all kinds of livestock at NRG Center. With good timing and a little luck, you might witness calves, pigs or sheep give birth at AgVenture inside NRG Center. You can also see baby chicks hatch there.
8. There’s shopping galore inside NRG Center. Tip: Come during the day when it's not so crowded and take your time browsing through the aisles.
9. There's something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a fun date night with your sweetheart, a spring break outing with your besties or a great way to entertain the kiddos, RodeoHouston is just the ticket.
10. From pint-sized cowpokes to country club cowboys to the real deal, the people-watching alone is worth the ticket price!
Photos: Cute kiddos at 2019 Rodeo
It's for a great cause
It's an investment in our future!
The Houston Rodeo and Livestock Show is one of the largest scholarship providers in the U.S. They've awarded more than $260 million in college scholarships to more than 20,000 Texas students since 1957.
Currently, more than 2,400 students are on HLSR scholarships, attending more than 80 different Texas colleges and universities.
Any high school graduate who lives in the Lone Star State and plans to attend a Texas university is eligible. Click here for more information on how to apply.
Photos: Rodeo School Art winners 2022
That's no bull!
The rodeo competition kicks off inside NRG Stadium each night and features some of the top cowboys and cowgirls in the country.
It’s a 19-day tournament-style competition that awards cash to the top scorers each night. The final weekend, event champions will be crowned in bareback riding, bull riding, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, team roping and women’s barrel racing. Each champion gets $50,000, a custom saddle and belt buckle and bragging rights
2018 PHOTOS: Man vs. beast in RodeoHouston semifinals
Between the rodeo competition and concert, each night there's a crowd favorite: The calf scramble. Thirty kids chase 15 calves around the stadium floor until all of them are caught.
The crowd cheers the kids on as the calves dart across the dirt in one of the most chaotic and entertaining events of the Rodeo.
The fifteen kids who catch a calf are awarded $1,750 to buy a heifer. They'll raise it for a year and then bring it back to show at next year's Livestock Show.
For 2022, they've added a Super Scramble. The 19 kids who catch the first calves will compete to catch one of nine calves. Each participant will win a cash prize.
Super Scramble Cash Prizes Payout:
- First catch: $10,000
- Second catch: $6,000
- Third catch: $4,000
- All remaining catchers: $2,000
- Non-catchers: $1,000
- Total purse for Super Scramble performance: $42,000
Mutton Bustin' is another can't miss.
The stars at night are big and bright
The rodeo competition is followed by a nightly concert featuring country, pop, hip hop and rock.
- Feb 28: Cody Johnson
- March 1: Keith Urban
- March 2: Tim McGraw
- March 3: for King and Country
- March 4: Ricky Martin
- March 5: Jon Pardi
- March 6: Los Tucanes de Tijuana
- March 7: Luke Bryan
- March 8: Maren Morris
- March 9: Kane Brown
- March 10: Journey
- March 11: Bun B's H-Town Takeover
- March 12: Parker McCollum
- March 13: Dierks Bentley
- March 14: Sam Hunt
- March 15: Gwen Stefani
- March 16: Khalid
- March 17: Chris Stapleton
- March 18: Marshmello
- March 19: Brad Paisley
- March 20: George Strait with special guest Ashley McBryde
WATCH: 2022 RodeoHouston lineup announced
Dance the night away
If you didn't score tickets for George, Journey, Bun B or the other hot sellers, you can still enjoy free live music and dancing each night in The Hideout.
The Rodeo's very own honky tonk has a big dance floor, bars and some of the best up-and-coming musicians.
It's open nightly from 6 p.m. to midnight in the giant white tent on the west side of NRG Arena. You must be at least 21. Your grounds ticket gets you in.
Here's a list of the performers.
Rodeo on the cheap
If you’re on a tight budget, there are a couple of easy ways to enjoy the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo without breaking the bank.
If you plan to go more than once, you should consider a season pass. The $35 pass gets you into the three-week event as many times as you want. The season pass includes grounds, carnival, the livestock show and Hideout concerts. It doesn't include the rodeo and concerts at NRG stadium.
Another money-saver is Free Family Wednesdays.
- Free NRG Park Admission for seniors, 60 and over, and children, 12 and under until noon. (does not include rodeo/concert admission). Tickets for adults 13-59 are just 5 bucks.
- Enjoy $2 rides and games from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., along with a $2 food or drink item at select food stands in the Junction Carnival.
Special Days
Armed Forces Appreciation Day - Wednesday, March 2
Go Tejano Day - Saturday, March 5
First Responders Day – Monday, March 7
Black Heritage Day - Friday, March 11
For more information, go to rodeohouston.com
35,000 volunteers
Almost all of the RodeoHouston employees are volunteering their time.
"The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ would not be the amazing success story that it is today without the dedication and hard work of its 35,000 volunteers," organizers say.
They're all members of 107 committees that do everything from serving wine to selling tickets to picking up animal poop.
By donating their time, the volunteers help the rodeo raise more money for scholarships since they don't have to spend it on paid employees.
Click here to learn more about volunteering for HLSR.
How to get there
The easiest and most stress-free way to get to the rodeo is to let someone else do the driving!
You can catch a ride on the MetroRail for $2.50 round-trip and it drops you off at the stadium.
The Rodeo Express Metro buses offer service to NRG Park from these Park and Ride locations.
You will need a mask for MetroRail and buses but they're not required on the grounds.
Ride Sharing
- Uber and Lift drop-offs and pick-ups are in the Yellow Lot.
- Entrance Gate 13D off Westridge from the north bound lanes of Main Street is the only access to the lot. There is no left turn lane access allowed from the south bound lanes of Main Street.
Parking
If you decide to drive yourself, we recommend downloading the RodeoHouston app for up-to-the-minute updates on which lots are full.
Here's a map of the parking lots. There's also parking in the old Astroworld lot off the South Loop.
Some lots have shuttles that will take you to NRG Park.
What to wear
You don't need to spend a fortune to look fabulous while you embrace your inner cowboy or cowgirl.
In fact, you might already have the right fashions in your closet.
For women, if you wear anything with the popular Boho chic look, you'll fit right in. Think embroidery, modern hippy and/or fringe. Bonus points if you add boots and a cowboy hat.
A jean jacket, jeans and boots can help women and men pull off the right look.
If you don't want to spend a fortune on cowboy boots, you can find less expensive versions online, at resale stores and even at local Western stores like Cavender's and Boot Barn. Or wear your favorite booties. TIP: Don't try to break in a new pair of boots at the rodeo. You'll be doing a lot of walking.
For accessories, Houston stores are full of fun and affordable jewelry and at the rodeo, the more bling the better. Turquoise is always in style, whether it's the real deal or the less expensive version.
No time to shop before you go? No worries! NRG Center is full of rodeo fashion and accessories in all price ranges.
