It’s time to saddle up, San Antonio!
Household enjoyable is simple to wrangle on the San Antonio Inventory Present and Rodeo. Whether or not you’re new to the rodeo or sit up for all of it 12 months, learn on for all it is advisable find out about having some household enjoyable on the San Antonio Inventory Present and Rodeo. Horses, cattle, pigs, rides, meals, enjoyable… this annual showcase of all issues cowboy and cowgirl has one thing for everybody. And household enjoyable on the San Antonio Inventory Present and Rodeo is simple to lasso.
We’ve been rodeo regulars since our baby was two, having fun with his delight on the giant and small animals and extra. We’re not alone: Try “10 Methods to Benefit from the San Antonio Inventory Present & Rodeo with Youngsters and Tricks to Know Earlier than You Go” for extra ideas and tips. Whereas the rodeo is about all issues livestock and ranching, it’s additionally acquired plenty of Texas wildlife; each number of meals on a stick; funnel cake; carnival enjoyable; tractors, and extra.
If you happen to haven’t been—or don’t know the place to begin—learn on for a information to household enjoyable on the San Antonio Inventory Present and Rodeo.
First, a primer: for those who’re already a rodeo common, or simply new to all of it, there are belongings you’ll need to find out about tickets and parking. Try this nice FAQs web page for all the inside track.
The “rodeo” is what all of us name it, nevertheless it’s truly two issues – all tied up in a single official occasion identify, the San Antonio Inventory Present and Rodeo. Rodeo competitions occur every evening (and there are matinees on the weekends), when very proficient cowboys, cowgirls, and wonderful horses compete in barrel racing, bull driving, roping, and extra. Every competitors ends with a live performance.
The inventory present portion is the half that runs all day, every single day, showcasing completely different animals all through the occasion. From swine, sheep, and goats to Brahmas, Holsteins, mini-Longhorns, and extra, there’s an array of animals to see and admire all through the inventory present.
The fairground homes the entire enjoyable that surrounds the Inventory Present and Rodeo, together with meals cubicles, procuring, reside music, video games, carnival rides, and all the things from zoo animal demonstrations to racing pigs. And there are all the time plenty of academic reveals, so youngsters can study the place milk comes from and the right way to take care of animals.
Schedule: The rodeo runs by means of February 25 this 12 months, supplying you with loads of time to absorb the enjoyable and make some recollections. Hours differ, however the fairgrounds are open 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. each day – you will discover all the main points right here. Word: Hours/actions are completely different on weekdays vs. weekends. If the carnival is extra your factor, it doesn’t open till 4:00 p.m. most weekdays. You’ll additionally see that whereas the grounds could open at 9:00 a.m. a lot of the enjoyable isn’t obtainable till 10:00 a.m., even on weekends. Nevertheless, the carnival does open at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday/Sunday and President’s Day (February 20). There are many completely different leisure choices by means of the run of the rodeo. To make sure all that’s happening whenever you’re there, take a look at this nice interactive schedule. You may search by household leisure, meals choices (*ahem*, free samples, together with wine tasting!), music, and extra.
Location: The rodeo takes over the Frost Financial institution Heart Heart and Freeman Coliseum, in addition to the grounds across the two. The realm that often looks like miles of parking tons bursts with exercise in the course of the rodeo. Do you know there’s a cattle barn, horse present enviornment, horse barn, public sale barn, swine barn, and extra surrounding the house of the Spurs? And all of these buildings come to life in the course of the rodeo. If it sounds daunting, it’s not. The grounds are simple to navigate, so don’t let the dimensions of all the things—or the livestock!—scare you.
Admission: That is the place it’s essential to know the distinction between the rodeo and the grounds. The motion that occurs contained in the Frost Financial institution Heart is a complete completely different ticket versus customary grounds admission. A rodeo ticket admits you to the grounds, so that you don’t want to purchase each, however a grounds ticket doesn’t admit you to the Frost Financial institution Heart.
Tickets for the rodeo performances, in addition to fairgrounds admission and each parking and shuttle choices, could be bought right here. Grounds admission to the rodeo is $15 for adults, $5 for youngsters ages 3–12, and free for youngsters two and youthful. Seniors (65 and older) are $5. Company with navy IDs get in free every single day (and it’s not simply the navy member—dependents are free too, even littles too younger for an ID card).
Professional Tip: If you happen to purchase your ticket on-line, grownup tickets are solely $12. Make certain your ticket (not a display shot of it) is pulled up in your cellular pockets.
A Should Know: The rodeo has gone digital and cellular, and the Frost Financial institution Heart is cashless, so you have to purchase your tickets digitally. There’s an awesome information obtainable right here to assist make ticketing a breeze.
Thursdays and President’s Day (Monday, February 19) are $2 Days, so grounds admission, rides, sizzling canine, popcorn, and sodas within the carnival space are solely $2 every. Sure, meaning you and the littles can get in for $2 every, then get pleasure from carnival rides, sizzling canine, popcorn, and sodas for $2 every. (FYI: The $2 meals choices are situated within the carnival space, not all through the grounds.) Promotions and particular affords could be discovered right here.
Parking: Parking within the Frost Financial institution Heart tons is on the market, and as with all occasions on the Frost Financial institution Heart, there are personal tons obtainable which have various costs. Park & Trip is on the market and parking could be bought upfront. Extra particulars on parking could be discovered right here.
The rodeo grounds are divided into areas, however the grounds map is simple to comply with, and volunteers are all over the place to reply your questions. You’ll additionally see the place to search out meals choices, together with free sampling carried out each day on the grounds. (Chuckwagon sampling is listed underneath the Meals Courtroom choices.)
Meals: The meals court docket, and the rodeo itself, consists of just about something you may eat on a stick: enormous turkey legs, ears of corn, and random finds like gator (on a stick, in fact), Greek gyros (no stick), pizza, Chinese language meals, kettle corn, and funnel cake. The meals court docket is large, so that you’re positive to search out one thing you want or really feel like it’s a must to attempt, like deep-fried sweet bars (I haven’t been courageous sufficient to attempt that, however please let me know in the event that they’re good.) On $2 Days, meals choices could be bought for $2 every within the carnival space.
Enjoyable to See: The livestock barns characteristic a wide range of livestock, together with bulls, goats, pigs, longhorn cattle, horses, and extra. You may stroll the barns and see no matter is being proven on the time, all proudly raised and cared for by youngsters hoping to earn scholarship cash. Strolling the barns is a enjoyable option to join with what fuels the inventory present. However please thoughts your manners and don’t contact the animals—they aren’t for petting, and a number of the animals might get simply spooked. Do speak with the homeowners/caretakers—they’ve labored onerous to get their animals to the present. If you happen to’re there on the proper time, you may see the cows getting a shower or another variety of issues being completed to maintain them prepared for present.
Professional Tip: When our son was little, we all the time took our stroller. There’s quite a lot of strolling across the grounds, and it makes it simpler on little legs. Each strollers and wagons are welcome, and there’s stroller parking outdoors of all occasions/actions that don’t enable strollers. In case your stroller days are behind you, make sure that everybody wears sneakers that match the event. The rodeo just isn’t a spot for sandals until you need to cope with straw, sawdust, and the more-than-occasional animal poop. Closed-toe, snug sneakers are greatest. Your sneakers/stroller could roll by means of some animal deposits. All of it rolls off, however watch the wheels earlier than you toss the stroller again within the automotive. Strollers can’t be taken into the Frost Financial institution Heart, so for those who’re going to a efficiency, you may’t have your stroller with you.
Enjoyable to Do: Household enjoyable on the San Antonio Inventory Present and Rodeo is on the market all through the grounds, however make sure to go to the Expo Corridor, the place you’ll discover Buckaroo Farms and Dan-Dan the Farmer Man. The Expo Corridor can also be the place you’ll discover the Petting Farm (crammed with goats, sheep, donkeys, llamas, deer, chickens, and extra).
Within the Meals Courtroom and Outside Actions space, you’ll discover pony rides, the BMX Freestyle Workforce, Bustin’ within the Barn (the place your littles can go mutton bustin’, however we HIGHLY suggest you reserve an area on-line earlier than you go because it sells out FAST). There are additionally livestock talks and a goat ranch within the space across the Meals Courtroom, making it a superb household vacation spot total.
Certainly one of our favorites is the Swifty Swine Pig Races, and sure, it’s simply what it seems like. Much like a unadorned toddler on the run, the pigs are a lot sooner than you’d assume. Additionally they squeal actually loudly! Races are scheduled all through the day however you’ll have to get your seat early: the stands all the time fill as much as watch the likes of Tony Porker and Hamu Ginobili race to the end line.
One other cease to get pleasure from: the Freeman Coliseum. Wildlife, TX, is there, so that you’ll see a number of the native animals that decision Texas residence, and the Longhorn of Texas the place you’ll be amazed by the dimensions of these looooonnnnnggg horns. And don’t miss the free exhibits within the coliseum, together with bull driving, charreada, the youth rodeo, and extra.
Rodeo tip: Like each different mother, I’m all the time armed with hand sanitizer, however for the rodeo, I make sure that I’m *absolutely* stocked. There’s a ton to see, do, and contact, and nobody desires animal germs. There are hand sanitizer stations all through the grounds, nevertheless it all the time helps to deliver your individual.
So what are you ready for? Saddle up and discover household enjoyable on the San Antonio Inventory Present and Rodeo earlier than it’s too late. And in case you have any rodeo ideas or favorites I didn’t checklist, please share—I really like to listen to how others benefit from their rodeo adventures.
Initially crafted by Daybreak in 2023, and up to date in 2024 by Anastasia
