Houston - Arts & Entertainment - Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade

Most Popular

Most Commented

Entertainment

Barack Obama and Me

It was the year 2000 and I was a young hungry reporter in Chicago covering a young hungry state legislator
Mescaline on the Mexican Border

Texas is the only state in the country where peyote is sold legally. Really.
A Prison Cover-up During Hurricane Rita

For days after the storm, inmates in Beaumont lived without A/C, electricity or hot meals. Press releases kept saying everything inside was fine. Guards and prisoners agree — that was nothing but B.S.
Little Bitty Burger Barn

"It's okay to be little bitty in the big city" is an apt slogan for this new burger joint, where sliders rule
Ghost Town CFS: Carriage House Cafe

Step back in time — to a spooky old carriage barn with a monster chicken-fried steak

Barack Obama and Me (246)

It was the year 2000 and I was a young hungry reporter in Chicago covering a young hungry state legislator
Save Lobo: A Siberian Husky Mix is Sentenced to Die (28)

Why? Because he's big and intimidating and because one family complained about him over and over again
A Prison Cover-up During Hurricane Rita (13)

For days after the storm, inmates in Beaumont lived without A/C, electricity or hot meals. Press releases kept saying everything inside was fine. Guards and prisoners agree — that was nothing but B.S.
Rotten to the Corps: A Question of Justice at Texas A&M (140)

Thanks to A& M and a district attorney, two cadets escape punishment for beating in a student's face
Are You Hot Enough for Citizen Lounge? (6)

All This Useless Beauty

"CSI: The Experience"

Exhibit inspired by CBS series puts you behind the evidence
Lisa Landolt and Jo Barrett

Two law-school-grads-turned-chick-lit-authors show us amore might be the death of us yet
Michael Winslow

The man with ten thousand noises comes to Houston
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade

Watch downtown turn into cowpoke heaven
Free First Sundays: Family Flicks

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston hosts four kid-friendly films

"Most Popular" tools sponsored by:

Blogs

Geraldo Rivera Is Stupid: A Review of His Panic: Why Americans Fear Hispanics in the U.S.
06:06AM 03/09/08
Weekend Music: Help Save the Houston Music Scene
03:54PM 03/07/08
To Do: Hockey and Roller Derby
04:12PM 03/07/08
Sausage Fest: Bangers and Mash at Red Lion Pub
11:40AM 03/08/08

Be Social

What we are writing about

National Features

SF Weekly

The Candidate

Our columnist knows Ralph Nader's running mate all too well.
By Matt Smith
The Pitch

How Not To Be a Rap Star

First of all, lay off the Ecstasy.
By Nadia Pflaum
Village Voice

Project Runaway

What becomes a gossip columnist most?
By Michael Musto

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade

Watch downtown turn into cowpoke heaven

By Bob Ruggiero

Published: February 28, 2008

As a ten-year-old Yankee transplant to Houston in the mid-’70s, the strangest cultural tradition I encountered (outside of the delicacy called Frito pie) was the annual Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade of cowboys, Stetsons and Dolly Parton lookalikes that signaled the kickoff of the rodeo. For two weeks, I would give my goombahs back home reports of record-size pigs from the local nightly news. Since then I’ve learned that rodeo time is an integral part of Houston’s cultural fabric, even if these days, more people are interested in seeing Hannah Montana than the steer-wrestling semifinals. The 2008 celebration kicks off with the annual parade, marking the march’s 70th anniversary. Original parade organizers envisioned something with the “pomp and ceremony of a Roman holiday” — presumably without the Christian-eating lions. Today the parade is made up of thousands of cowboys and cowgirls on horseback, marching bands, decorated floats and giant balloons (oh, and the occasional hay bale hottie). Baseball legend Craig Biggio is this year’s grand marshal. Hey, it’s the rodeo — everyone wants in on the act. 10 a.m. The parade route begins at Smith and Texas, and ends at Walker and Bagby. For information, call 832-667-1000 or visit www.rodeohouston.com. Free.
Sat., March 1, 10 a.m., 2008

Write Your Comment

Arts & Entertainment

Most Popular

It was the year 2000 and I was a young hungry reporter in Chicago covering a young hungry state legislator

Texas is the only state in the country where peyote is sold legally. Really.

For days after the storm, inmates in Beaumont lived without A/C, electricity or hot meals. Press releases kept saying everything inside was fine. Guards and prisoners agree — that was nothing but B.S.

"It's okay to be little bitty in the big city" is an apt slogan for this new burger joint, where sliders rule

Step back in time — to a spooky old carriage barn with a monster chicken-fried steak

It was the year 2000 and I was a young hungry reporter in Chicago covering a young hungry state legislator

Why? Because he's big and intimidating and because one family complained about him over and over again

For days after the storm, inmates in Beaumont lived without A/C, electricity or hot meals. Press releases kept saying everything inside was fine. Guards and prisoners agree — that was nothing but B.S.

Thanks to A& M and a district attorney, two cadets escape punishment for beating in a student's face

All This Useless Beauty

Exhibit inspired by CBS series puts you behind the evidence

Two law-school-grads-turned-chick-lit-authors show us amore might be the death of us yet

The man with ten thousand noises comes to Houston

Watch downtown turn into cowpoke heaven

The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston hosts four kid-friendly films

Recent Articles By Bob Ruggiero

concert preview

Valient Thorr and Riverboat Gamblers perform Monday, August 6, at Red Room inside Meridian, 1503 Chartres, 713-225-1717. ASG and Totimoshi are also on the bill.

Grady performs Saturday, July 28, at the Continental Club, 3700 Main, 713-529-9899. Studio Magick Black is also on the bill.

Elvis on Speed and Amplified Heat perform Friday, July 13, at Rudyard's, 2010 Waugh, 713-521-0521.

Skating queens hit the rink -- and each other

National Features

SF Weekly

The Pitch

Village Voice

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade

Watch downtown turn into cowpoke heaven

By Bob Ruggiero

Houston Press Insiders