Carnival & Fair News

If one needed a sign that the fair industry has turned the page has been turned on the global coronavirus crisis, one look no further than the 2023 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo.

Back when COVID was just becoming a thing in 2020, the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo was the largest event to cancel mid-event and was among the approximately 90 percent of outdoor events to cancel in 2021. Last year – celebrating its 90th anniversary – more than 2.4 million attended the 2022 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Now that the worst of the pandemic restrictions seem are in the rearview – the question is will the resurgence experienced industry-wide the last two years continue? If record attendance, revenue and a reenergized midway are any indicators, then the answer is yes, at least that was the case for the Houston event which charged out of the gate with renewed vigor.



“With sensational weather, unbeatable family-fun, one-of-a-kind educational exhibits, elite athletes, outstanding exhibitors, successful auctions and an unmatched concert lineup, 2023 was a spectacular, record setting year for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo,” said Chris Boleman, Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo president and CEO. “With the help and dedication of more than 35,000 Show volunteers and staff, we were able to provide a unique and unforgettable experience once again to our guests. But it's truly because of the ongoing support from our community that we are able to provide millions in scholarships and change lives year after year.”

Record Midway | For the Ray Cammack Shows midway, the post-lockdown resurgence entered new territory breaking records and exceeding even the 2022 banner year, further evidence the classic Americana of midway is an essential component of Rodeo Nation. The RCS midway footprint was comparable to the comeback year, with 80 rides, 56 games, and 34 food stands. “All three entities were up,” said Chris Lopez, Vice President of RCS. “We had the highest number of riders than any other rodeo. People were staying longer and spending more. We broke all our records.”



He added, “This year we had the best weather that I could remember and it was that way throughout, including the three days of barbecue (the World's Championship Bar-B-Que, a three-day preliminary lead-up to opening day) all the way through the rodeo. A lot of planning goes into the rodeo, but it has become a staple event for people in Texas. It's the largest rodeo event in Texas and people come from different counties and countries.”

As the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo marks the first year of its ninth decade and the second-post lockdown in our uncertain times, Lopez noticed a new enthusiasm for the type of family-oriented, wholesome entertainment only a midway provides. “Customers are very grateful, they are truly happy to be out there [on the midway],” said Lopez. “There's still a feeling they have that we are getting back to normal. I feel we are exceeding their expectations but they are genuinely grateful to have their rodeo back. There are a lot more families, and they are very enthusiastic.”



Teddy Bear Boom | One visible sign of their enthusiasm was an abundance of what Lopez calls “Teddy Bears”, which is of course carnival-speak for plush. This year, capitalizing on the twin-trends of an uptick in midway gamers and an improvement in the supply of plush, which had been plagued by COVID-related disruptions from manufacturing to shipping, RCS has rolled out a new saturation policy for games – everyone seems to be a winner – and the overpopulation of plush among the fairgoer population not only fuels a growing popularity of midway games, but has become an essential grassroots marketing tool promoting the RCS brand rodeo-wide.

“Group games are more popular than ever before,” said Lopez. “Families are playing games together.”

In fact, among the records being broken this year was the amount of plush – 125 semi-trailer trucks filled with a diverse range of “Teddy Bears”, which in 2023 came in the form of Squishmallow, Ramen Pillow, Bob Ross, Howdy H and Pokemon. An estimated 725,000 prizes were “won” at the midway games.

“Our prize policy is different,” said Lopez. “The best form of advertisement is to have plush out on the midway. We want our games to be the front line of our company. We don't bark or barter. We invite them into the games and show them how to win. If we're not seeing enough “Teddy Bears” out there, we just start giving them out. There was a stereotyping of carnival games of being rip-offs and seedy and we counter that with our plush.”

Record food sales for the RCS midway reflected traditional fair cuisine – turkey legs, corn dogs, Fried Oreos, funnel cakes, and Agua Frescas. The company also introduced new rides, including Raptor Roller Coaster, Sea Ray and XL Wheel.



The first event of the year for the 2nd largest Midway Provider in North America may prompt a rosy forecast for the rest of the year, except for inflation. Revenue spikes seem to indicate that the rampant price increases throughout the economy have yet to noticeably impact the family budget, at least when it comes so far to disposable income, however on the supply side the situation is troubling. “At the end of the day, some of the carnivals expenses – labor, fuel, the price of equipment and getting that equipment, are all going up. Those costs are across the board, but we and our fairs do not want to gouge our customers. Post-COVID, expenses for carnivals have not gone down. Suppliers have not made it easier, and the labor industry has not made it easier. These are costs incurred by the carnival that we can't pass along and we will see how it affects the bottom line of the fairs.”

Rodeo Houston also broke a record attendance day for an Ides of March Wednesday with 165,623 and also committed a record $2.178 million to its contestants in 2023, which featured the world's top rodeo athletes to compete in eight traditional rodeo events.

Brad Paisley | The 2023 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo also boasted a record concert series. Paid rodeo/concert attendance reached 1,355,367. The Highest paid rodeo/concert performances were Luke Bryan (74,779); Turnpike Troubadours (74,657); Brad Paisley (74,577) and Cody Johnson (73,144). In addition, Black Heritage Day had a 74,573 turnout.



This year's Paisley show – his 15th Rodeo Houston concert – was highlighted by the country music superstar being inducted to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo's prestigious Star Trail of Fame. Paisley is the 10th star honored with a gold plaque to commemorate his years of outstanding entertainment on the RODEOHOUSTON stage, according to the rodeo.

“Brad Paisley is a great addition to our Star Trail of Fame,” said Jason Kane, Director of Entertainment, Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo. “We're thrilled to recognize Brad and welcome him to our RodeoHouston family, alongside fellow artists who have helped shaped our show over the years.”

Paisley's fellow inductees include George Strait, Brooks & Dunn, Alan Jackson, and Selena.