Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo Kicks Off with Spectacular Parade

FORT WORTH, Texas — The 2025 Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo officially opened Saturday morning with a vibrant parade that drew thousands of spectators to downtown Cowtown. More than 3,000 horses, 70 riding clubs, a dozen marching bands, and over 30 wagons and floats participated in the two-mile procession along Main and Houston streets.

Among the parade’s highlights were the Hawaii Pa’u Riders, the TCU Horned Frog Marching Band, and local high school bands. The event also featured a special appearance by 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Austen Smith of Keller, who competed in women’s skeet shooting at the Paris Summer Games.

Leading the parade were Megan Gay Maier and Summer Gay, granddaughters of the iconic Kay Gay, known for her glamorous designs for the Grand Entry riders. “If you’re gonna ride a horse, you might as well be glamorous and flashy,” Kay Gay once said. The sisters will also lead every rodeo performance at Dickies Arena during the event.

The parade route began at Main and Weatherford streets, south of the Tarrant County Courthouse, and concluded on Houston Street. Street closures began at 9 a.m., with the parade starting shortly after.

The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, running from January 17 through February 8, is a cornerstone of the city’s culture and economy. This year, the event is further enriched by the addition of Pulido’s Rodeo Kitchen, a new dining venue operated by the Westland Restaurant Group. Located in the Centennial Room at the Moncrief Building, the restaurant will offer efficient online ordering systems to cater to exhibitors and participants with limited time.

“We’ve worked to make it very efficient for them, with a QR code, to order food and not be gone from their stall or whatever for long,” said Bourke Harvey, managing partner at Westland Restaurant Group. Pulido’s, a Fort Worth dining staple since 1966, aims to integrate further into the city’s cultural events.

The stock show’s economic impact is significant, with the 2022 edition generating $115 million in direct spending and attracting 1.2 million visitors. This year, high-end hotels like The Crescent Hotel Fort Worth and Bowie House are offering special events to cater to the influx of visitors.

“The stock show sets Fort Worth apart and for restaurants, hotels, all hospitality, it means a lot,” Harvey added. “And for some restaurants, it means everything.”