Trailriders, marching bands, color guards, local celebrities and dancing girls — they’ll all share the spotlight at the 2015 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Parade. A Houston tradition for more than 75 years, the parade is the kickoff to the three-week-long rodeo that seems to take over the city every March. You’ll see colorful floats, all boasting a rodeo theme, but the real stars of the parade are the trailriders. Hundreds of men and women take to the trails and ride into the city. No hotels for trailriders — they camp out, just like cowboys. This year features groups coming in from as far away as Reynosa, Mexico (386 miles), and as close as Montgomery (70 miles).
Take note of the usual parade guidelines: Dress for the weather, expect crowds, get there early and if you find a parking spot within ten blocks of the route, consider yourself very, very lucky. 10 a.m. Downtown Houston. Visit rodeohouston.com for complete route information. Free.
Sat., Feb. 28, 10 a.m., 2015
This article appears in Feb 26 – Mar 4, 2015.