During our trip to Houston, Texas we decided to take a look at one of the traditions there: The Rodeo; boy it was great! Since we are born and raised near the biggest rodeo-like event in Latin America, we could not skip the rodeo when in Houston. We had been a few days earlier in the Austin Rodeo, which in comparison to the one in my home country pales by a lot. Now, Houston Rodeo is a different thing. It´s a great fun time, and there are lots of similarities and lots of differences with the one in Jesus María in Argentina.
The event mainly consists of a few different elements that we´ll discuss in this article, and it is held at the monumental NRG Stadium complex, which includes the NRG Arena and the Fair complex.
That same NRG Stadium held the Copa America Centenario, in which Argentina played a couple of soccer games, and I have to say that it is a gorgeous stadium indeed.
Since the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is not only a yearly event, but also a cultural phenomenon in Texas, the NRG Arena is filled with the museum style activities, where you can see past winners, history of the Rodeo, and some scholar activities with art from kids in the area. And of course, the Gift Shop, which is always there when you go to any attraction.
There is so many to watch and do outside in the fair, and the adjacent to the stadium areas that we ended up entering the Rodeo a little late and most activities were ending. But I have to say that the arena looked huge and a lot bigger than the Austin Rodeo. Also, when comparing the Rodeo of Argentina with the Houston Rodeo, I have to say that the Texan counterpart focuses a lot more in Bulls than the Horses, while the Argentinian one is mostly about the Horses.
What we were able to enjoy fully and thoroughly was the rock concert, and it was incredibly fun: Kid Rock was headlining the night and it was a show for the ages. He absolutely ruled the night. His show was so good that the next morning we went to buy some CDs and his music was most of what was heard in the rest of our roadtrip in Texas.
The fair outside was quite big and even though we spent a good while out there we didn´t manage to get through it all. There´s a whole lot to do there.
The fair had things such as the Real Ponies carousel, the classic carousel, the merry go round and many more classics.
There are tons of dining options, ranging from little stands where you can buy a sausage and eat it on the go, or you can sit down and order a full meal.
There´s also a couple of bars with live music to keep enjoying folk, rock and country.
In conclusion, if you are in Houston while the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is being held, you can´t miss attending. An awesome activity; especially if the artist showcased is as good as Kid Rock.
Let me know in the comments section about your experience in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, or let me know if you have any questions. You can also follow me on social media or subscribe for more Travel Tips.