Houston Rodeo Preview 2013

By Joey Caparella     2/20/13 6:00pm

Get your lassos twirling and your boots kicking because the Houston Rodeo is back in town. Held at the Reliant Center, the world's largest live entertainment and livestock exhibition will kick off Feb. 25 and run until March 17. Last year, more than 2 million people attended the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, according to the event's website. It's a livestock show, music festival, state fair and educational fundraiser all rolled into one. With so much to see, how will you ever have enough time to do it all? Here are the top five things not to miss. 

Carnival: Get your game on

The rodeo has a huge carnival area that would make most state fairs blush. Take a ride on La Grande Wheel, the largest Ferris wheel in the Western Hemisphere, or catch a spectacular view on the 1,700-foot gondola Sky Ride over Reliant Park.

---

---

Food: Enter the deep fryer

At the rodeo, if you can think of it, you can fry it. At past rodeos, fried food specialists Fried What have served up oily, greasy goodness in the form of fried cookie dough, fried red velvet cake, fried oreos and even fried Kool-Aid balls. There will also be plenty of Texas barbecue to go around, with a three-day World Championship Barbecue Cook-Off. A diverse selection of food vendors will be all over, ranging from Pizza on a Stick, Pappasito's Cantina, Aunt Edmoe's Homemade Cookies, Piches Beignets and more.

Concerts: 

Not your average Two Steppin'

The Rodeo has been drawing bigger and bigger acts lately. This year's concert schedule is completely packed with artists like Mary J. Blige, Zac Brown Band, Toby Keith and Pitbull. Check out the full schedule:

Feb. 25: Toby Keith

Feb. 26: Gary Allan

Feb. 27: Alan Jackson

Feb. 28: Zac Brown Band

March 1: Mary J. Blige

March 2: Brantley Gilbert

March 3: Demi Lovato

March 3: Austin Mahone

March 4: Styx

March 5: Lady Antebellum

March 6: Dierks Bentley

March 7: Bruno Mars

March 8: Tim McGraw

March 9: The Band Perry

March 10: Julion Alvarez

March 11: Jason Aldean

March 12: Kenny Chesney

March 13: Jake Owen

March 14: Pitbull

March 15: Blake Shelton

March 16: Luke Bryan

Ticket prices range from $18-21 and are available for purchase at rodeohouston.org.

Animals: Cows, horses and sheep, oh my!

While it may seem like a giant party with concerts and carnival rides, the rodeo is first and foremost a showcase of Houston's best livestock. The rodeo is not only one of the world's most pretigious horse shows, but also a huge livestock auction. The traditional rodeo itself is a spectacular display of athleticism. The show also features many other farm animals in interesting ways. Take mutton busting, for example, one of the Rodeo's hidden gems. Think of it as a bucking bronco for little kids. Small children hold on to sheep for dear life as the sheep do their best to buck them off. Or find out which swine is the swiftest in the annual pig races.

Parade: Macy's Thanksgiving Day, Texas style

See the ultimate celebration of Western heritage as the Rodeo Parade progresses through downtown Houston Feb. 23. It's a combination of eye-popping floats and people on horseback as the rodeo announces its Texas-sized arrival all over the city. Keep your eye out for President David Leebron, University Representative Y. Ping Sun and Sammy the Owl on a special Rice float as they spread the blue and grey spirit.

---