Saddle up for the Houston Rodeo
Bryan Mendoza / Thresher
Grab your cowboy boots and saddle up — the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is back for 20 days of action. From Feb. 27 to March 17, the rodeo will transform NRG Park into a yee hawin’ haven of competition, food and music. All it takes is a short ride on the Metro to pop that Rice bubble and experience what Houston has to offer.
Tickets
If you missed out on snagging a free ticket from the Rice Program Council, try your luck getting a free unclaimed RPC ticket Friday, March 8 from noon to 1 p.m. in front of the Rice Memorial Center’s Grand Hall. Tickets to the grounds start at $20. If you’re aiming for the full rodeo experience, including the heart-pounding events and musical entertainment, you’ll need to pony up at least $25.
RODEOHOUSTON
This super series tournament-style competition features riding, wrestling, roping and racing of horses and livestock. Make sure to catch the ultimate challenge, the Mutton Bustin’, where kiddos are placed on a sheep that shakes them off. In addition to classic rodeo events, you can visit the rodeo version of a science fair. Take a gander through a petting zoo, a miniature livestock exhibition called “We’re Small Y’all Barn,” a birthing center and udderly exciting live demonstrations of milking at the “Milking Parlor.”
Music
The rodeo has a star-studded and genre-spanning lineup of artists to perform in the NRG stadium including pop, country, hip-hop, EDM, Latin and rock artists. Luke Bryan, the man behind country hits like “Country Girl (Shake It For Me)” and “Play It Again,” takes the stage on March 7. If country isn’t your style, EDM artist Major Lazer will perform March 8 and Nickelback, a Canadian rock band with hits like “How You Remind Me” and “Rockstar,” will be on stage March 13, two days before The Jonas Brothers play (and are sure to pack the stadium with millennials). The rodeo then returns to its roots, with country legend Eric Church closing the festivities on March 17.
Grub
If you’re tired of the same servery food, the rodeo’s got your taste buds covered. Loosen your belt buckle for pickled pizza on a stick from Swain’s Pizza on a Stick, deep fried bread pudding from Cajun Cowboy or deep fried chicken donut sandwiches from Get Fried. Anything is carnival food when it is on a stick or deep fried, ideally both. Of course, classic southern eats like brisket and burgers are also on the menu — after all, the rodeo hosts the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest.
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