Carnival & Fair News

Record Attendance, a concert lineup with near-sellouts by  Brooks & Dunn; Luke Bryan and Grupo Frontera, 10 record breaking livestock auctions and an 80-ride Ray Cammack Shows (RCS) midway. The 20205 Rodeo Houston's success not only bodes well for the upcoming outdoor event season overall, but reaffirms popular culture's love affair with Cowboy Cool.

“Rodeos, especially here in Houston, serve as an important social event in the community,” said Marisa Saenz, PR and Media Relations Manager, Rodeo Houston.   “There has also been a continued interest in Western and “cowboy culture” in pop culture, including shows, movies, music and fashion, keeping spotlight on Rodeo overall. Rodeo, especially ours, is a chance for people from all walks of life to gather and celebrate Western heritage and the iconic traditions surrounding the events.”

Attendance exceeded 2.7 million over the 23-day event, setting a new all-time attendance record, according to the fair. Houston is one of the fastest-growing and most diverse regions in the country, home to over 7.5 million people across 10 different counties. What this year's rodeo indicates is that the cowboy cool trend and the unique Americana celebrated by the event remains the rage, appealing to the newcomers revitalizing the city as strongly as with the more traditional rodeo hands.

Overwhelming Success

“The 2025 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was an overwhelming success, setting records across the board,” said Saenz. “ With a record attendance, there was a variety of returning attendees and first-time attendees. People come from all over the Greater Houston area, the United States and countries the world over to experience all the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has to offer.”

“Houston was absolutely amazing, as it always it,” said Chris Lopez, Vice President, RCS. The relationship between this carnival kingpin and mega-Rodeo dates back to the 1990s. “We were just under 2.8 million, which  is the highest attendance since we've been with Houston. Last year, we had just fewer than 2.7 million, so we saw back-to-back good years you could see it on the midway, the sizes of the crowds and the record breaking ridership. Revenue was up, in all three areas –  rides, food and games.”  

The RCS midway showcased 80 rides, 56 games, 40 food stands, with the top grossing rides included: La Grande XL Wheel, Sky Ride, Heidi Spinning Coaster, Raptor Coaster and Rave Wave. Lopez added that the company was able to debut six “brand new” rides: the Heidi Spinning Coaster, Over Drive, Dragon Family Coaster, Enchanted Castle Funhouse, and The Royal Wheel.


The RCS midway's wow factor is on steroids and energy drinks in 2025. “We had four big wheels and four major coasters. We anticipated record breaking attendance, and we take what we consider our high capacity rides. For the largest rodeo in the world, you got to have those high capacity rides, and those exciting new rides for the people. We provide value to our consumers. Once they get to the midway, once we get them there, to see what we have at prices they can afford, the value of the experienced is perceived.”

In addition to the slew of new ride options, RCS upgraded its presentation with more shaded sitting areas and other amenities. Lopez noted that the company was able to suppress price increases, helping to quell inflation anxiety. “There's a sense of confidence with our new administration,” said Lopez. “Texas has always been a conservative state and we love doing business there. Houston is growing, and the rodeo is doing a stellar job, with concerts and the World Championship barbecues. There's a lot of energy at the event.”

He added, “it's interesting, Texas is one of the fastest growing states. You can always bet on seeing  rodeo goers who are coming for the first time, supporting those ag programs, the concerts, and livestock sales. There's positivity to the rodeo and that is always a great thing.”

Cowboy Culture

That positivity seems inherent in the Rodeo Houston's mission of keeping alive an essential component of the state's culture. “Rodeos are relevant in today's culture for various reasons, one of the most prominent is because of how deeply rooted sport is in Western culture,” said Saenz. “Rodeo events reflect the traditions of horsemanship, cattle ranching, and skills needed for rural life. It is also a way to preserve and celebrate Western heritage and educate the public on the agriculture industry. Additionally, rodeo events are incredibly entertaining to watch with the exceptional athleticism by athletes and their animal counterparts.

It's a mission that produces data not only to justify how important Cowboy Cool remains to Texans of all stripes, but as one of the largest events in the states, generates a significant economic impact. “The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has a significant economic impact on the Greater Houston area and those that are part of the event,” said Saenz. “Our most recent economic impact study, conducted in 2024, showed that the Rodeo generated a total economic impact of $326 million and total economic activity of $597 million in Greater Houston.”

2025 did break overall attendance records, including a new attendance record on the last Saturday “with 199,220 people on the grounds,” said Saenz. “Attendance across the board was consistently higher than year's past, playing a role in the overall attendance figures.”

Two other factors helped. Mother Nature was in a good mood. “Despite a small handful of windy days with some rain, the majority of the event had fantastic weather, contributing to record-breaking attendance numbers and overall guest experience,” said Saenz.

The second was sheer Calendar luck. “Two of the weeks during this year's Rodeo season fell on area spring breaks, which contributed to the record-high attendance, as well as many other factors,” she said.

Optimistic consumers ready to spend proved the rule for Rodeo Houston this year. “As we continue to focus on our guest experience, we saw increased spending this Rodeo season and met all target numbers,” said Saenz. “Attendee spending continues to follow the trends we've seen post-pandemic, which resulted in exceeding all of our target numbers.”

Let's Rodeo!

Photo by the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo

Like some other large scale events, instead of conjuring up a new tagline every year, the event is extending its branding to be more encompassing and readily identifiable. First utilized in 2023, the event's ongoing marketing theme implored action, inviting everybody in on the fun – Let's Rodeo. “We launched our “Let's Rodeo” campaign in 2023 and continued to build on it this year,” said Saenz. “Going to the Rodeo means different things to different people and this campaign brings this to life.”

The advertising budget remains the same with no dramatic shifts in what media was utilized. “We adjusted our media spending allocation over the years as advertising trends shift with consumer behavior,” she said.

Most significantly was a ramp up in its social media messaging. The key this year was engagement – either by ongoing, back and forth communication with attendees or by dramatically enhancing the  production quality of the social media content. “We've continued to evolve and grow our social voice to continue speaking with our wide variety of guests,” she said. “Over 23 days, we digitally interacted with a large audience who either are immersed in Rodeo, casually participate, or have never been before. This year, we included lots of video storytelling to educate our audience about our four pillars and activities during the Rodeo.”

From programming to marketing to one of the longest running rodeo/midway contracts in the entire PRCA circuit, the 2025 event was a successful record-breaker. But breaking attendance records and creating an exciting event appealing to the veterans and the newbies, the die-hards and the curious – i.e., the changing demographic of its market and region – is enough to lift any outdoor event producer's spirits. “This year's success surpassed our expectations! We shattered attendance and auction records, fostered and strengthened partnerships with sponsors, introduced nine new artists, and delivered a world-class experience on the grounds. And let's not forget, every moment our guests spent here helped make a year-round impact on countless students through our scholarship initiatives.”
Rodeo Houston was one of those events with back-to-back cancellations during the height of the coronavirus global crisis. Like many shows, the recent struggle was returning back to pre-pandemic levels. This year, Rodeo Houston confidently returned to record levels.

“We believe the community missed the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo during 2020 and 2021, so their continued commitment to the event and mission is stronger than ever.  Businesses, along with general attendees, want to spend their money with an organization that has meaning behind it and contributes to the future of Houston and Texas. Spending and attendance amounts continue to reflect that in an upward trend each year since.”