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Before you ride out to the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo on the grounds of the Frost Bank Center and Freeman Coliseum, TPR has a few tips to cowboy or cowgirl up for the event that runs from Feb. 12 to March 1.
Around 1.5 million visitors are expected to pass through the gates before it all ends.
First of all, you will likely want to dress in layers of clothing, especially if you plan to make a full day of the event. From opening day on Thursday and through the weekend, mornings will be cool with temperature just above or just below 60 and then warm to just above or just below 80 by the afternoon hours. The grounds may see some rain on Saturday morning.
If you need to warm up or cool off, there is some climate control in the main venues you could saunter into, including the main venues, the livestock barns, and The Shops at the Rodeo in the Expo Hall.
If you wear a cowboy hat, it should ideally be made of felt. Weather permitting, that's the hat style traditionally worn between Labor Day and Memorial Day. Straw hats may be worn on a warmer than usual day during that stretch and during the warmer months in general. Now you know, pardner.
There's a lot of walking involved, so if you wear boots, make sure they are well broken in. Otherwise, we recommend more comfortable footwear to mosey around in.
The afternoon or evening rodeo competitions are followed by concerts, and we think you should take-in both. They complete the experience of a visit to one of the city's biggest events of the year—outside of Fiesta in April.
The good news is rodeo events and concerts come with just one ticket. And you get access to the fairgrounds too.
And a visit would not be complete without some shopping at The Shops at the Rodeo for the latest in western wear, jewelry, hats, and more. In case you haven't noticed, it's been very cool lately to be a cowboy or cowgirl. If you've got a streaming service at home, you may have seen western series like "1883," "1923." "Yellowstone," and "Ransom Canyon." We think "Landman" can join the list, too, as a modern-day western.
Also don't head home without a ride or two in the carnival area, and a bite into some of the many fair foods, including hot dogs, corn dogs, tacos, hamburgers, barbeque, kettle corn, roasted corn, turkey legs, funnel cake, and more.
There's also plenty of vendors selling beverages, including non-alcoholic choices, to help you stay hydrated during all that walking around.
So ideally, visitors should go a couple of hours before the start of the rodeo time listed on their ticket to have fun at the carnival, to shop, see other exhibits, and to sample some fair foods. You can also walk around after the concert because the carnival grounds close at 11 p.m. on weeknights, at midnight on Saturdays, and 11 p.m. on Sunday and Monday for President's Day. On the final day, Mar. 1, the carnival grounds close early at 8 p.m.
The Shops at The Rodeo area is open from Sunday through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
The concert dates ahead:
Feb. 12, 7 p.m., Russell Dickerson
Feb. 13, 7 p.m., Hank Williams, Jr.
Feb. 14, Noon, Ty Myers
Feb. 14, 7:30 p.m., Midland
Feb. 15, Noon, Pat Green
Feb. 15, 7:30 p.m., Brad Paisley
Feb. 16, 7 p.m., Shenandoah
Feb. 17, Hudson Westbrook, 7 p.m.
Feb. 18, Miranda Lambert, 7 p.m.
Feb. 19, Robert Earl Keen, 7 p.m.
Feb. 20, Gary Allan, 7 p.m.
Feb. 21, Kevin Fowler and Roger Creager followed by Dos Borrachos, Noon.
Feb. 21, Cody Jinks, 7 p.m.
Feb. 22, Braxton Keith, Noon
Feb. 22, Noche del Vaquero followed by Banda Los Recoditos, 7:30 p.m.
Feb. 23, Terri Clark, 7 p.m.
Feb. 24, 49 Winchester, 7 p.m.
Feb. 25, Dierks Bentley, 7 p.m.
Feb. 26, Sheryl Crow, 7 p.m.
Feb. 27, Ludacris, 7 p.m.
Feb. 28, Wildcard followed by the Droptines, Noon
Feb. 28, Shane & The Saints, 7:30 p.m.
If you don't have a lot of time to take it all in, TPR recommends not missing the pig races put on by Swifty Swine Productions and Bustin' in the Barn, where kids wearing crash helmets ride sheep wearing and see how long they can hang on.
Parking is $10 or $25 dollars. You will pay more for lots with a shorter walk, but the $10 parking comes with a shuttle service.
Learn more about the stock show and rodeo here:
