Boo for rain! It has been cold, cloudy and rainy in Houston for the last 3 weeks, and it’s currently raining right now as I’m typing this. I would give anything to see the sun and for some warmer weather! Well since it was raining the day we went to rodeo, I came prepared and brought a couple small umbrellas.
One of the most fun parts of rodeo is checking out the carnival outside and the livestock show in NRG Center, a separate building next door to NRG Stadium. If you want to just access these two areas, you can buy a general admission ticket ($10 for adults and $5 for kids ages 3-12) and avoid buying a concert ticket, but keep in mind a concert ticket gets you access to everything including all the rodeo events like bull riding (seen in Part I here) and tickets only start at $18. In NRG Center, you will find shopping, the petting zoo, birthing center (where, if you time it just right, you can watch one of the animals give birth), baby chicks hatching, and the main arena where people show off their cattle, goats and other farm animals (you can find a map of NRG Center here). While watching the cowboys and cowgirls do their thing inside the stadium is awesome and definitely a must, all the activities and events in NRG Center lets you get up close and personal with all the animals that make the rodeo, the rodeo.
The carnival consists of all the usual rides and games (including a 1,700 foot gondola Sky Ride across NRG Park) as well as a “Kids Country Carnival” which caters towards younger kids. You can also find all the carnival food imaginable. Chicken fried bacon? We got that! Fried Twinkies or Fried Oreos? That too! Not in the mood for funnel cake? There are also tents full of food vendors that offer anything from BBQ to Tex-Mex!
For all you Fall Out Boy fans out there, the concert was awesome! I’ve seen my fair share of artists at rodeo (like Keith Urban, Zac Brown Band, Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, etc.), but I have to say all my favorite rodeo performances have been by non-country artists like Bruno Mars and Usher! The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo tries to set aside days for non-country acts so anyone and everyone can enjoy a performance during the month long event. Here is this year’s concert calendar to give you an idea of what to expect (anyone from Ariana Grande to Tim McGraw).
Fall Out Boy played all their hits including current ones like “Centuries” and “Uma Thurman”, and they ended the hour long show with “Thnks fr th Mmrs” (Thanks for the Memories) which was perfect. Aiden loved every second of the concert!
Bonus: Taking a picture of Pete Wentz taking a selfie that he posted on Instagram!
Don’t forget to follow along on social media!
What a fun rodeo!! The cowboys hats, the grilled meat & the music, I just love it!
The rodeo looks like so much fun, and it sounds like the Fall Out Boy Concert was great!
Fall Out Boy was a lot of fun! My son had a great time, that was the best part! 🙂 I like rodeo concerts cause there's no opener (except for all the rodeo events lol) so you dive straight in to the music.
Everything "Texas" rolled into a fun event! 🙂
This looks like so much fun! I've never been to a rodeo!!
I've never been to the rodeo, but I've heard nothing but good things! One of my friends even raved and raved about that bacon wrapped turkey leg! haha!
Oh wow, I love that firework photo; capturing fireworks is hard! This looks like such a fun day, and all of those animals are just so cute. The chicks, aww!!
I'm very jealous that you got to see Fall Out Boy!!
I loved it, I'm originally from Sonora, Mexico and I always felt we had so much more in common with the Texas than the rest of Mexico.
Awe what a fun day! I saw Fall Out Boy once as well and I thought they pretty good live! Love all the photos and those chicks are soooo cute!
…Funny–when I think of rodeos, I don't normally think of Fall Out Boy!!…
We always have a great time at rodeo! Now you have a reason to go to Texas 😉
Haha! I told my husband he should have gotten that! But he opted for the regular turkey leg, I think the bacon wrapped scared him lol.
Thanks Marcella! Love farm animals… especially baby ones! That baby calf that my son was petting was soooo fluffy!
Lol yeah not your typical rodeo performance… this year they had John Legend, Pitbull, Ariana Grande and Fall Out Boy as their "non-country" performances! Something for everyone 🙂
I was totally surprised they were performing at rodeo! So glad they did cause it was a great show! They will be in Brussels on October 14! 🙂
I'm a sucker for baby animals! ha It's my favorite part of rodeo! 🙂
Perfect! I just looked it up and I think I'll get myself some tickets tomorrow! 😀
I feel like I missed out!! Looks like like a blast
You were there in spirit 🙂 ACL this year?!
oh the funnel cake!! haven't had one in a while!! they sell something similar to them here , they're called schmalzkuchen.. but they're mainly sold at the Christmas markets.
I would love, love to go to a German Christmas Market one day! So jealous you pretty much have them in your backyard 🙂