2009 Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo & Parade

This coming Saturday, January 17, the Fort Worth Stock Show starts up with the biggest non-motorized parade in the world. That means it is a no vehicle parade, everything moves by foot or hoof.

We are very cold here in Fort Worth today and tomorrow, but it is supposed to warm up a bit by parade day with a high of 62 on Saturday. I don't remember if it was last year, or the year before that, that the Stock Show Parade was cancelled due to below freezing temperatures. And ice.

I've only been to the Stock Show Parade twice. I liked it both times. Texas puts on very good parades. I've actually never seen a parade in Texas that I did not like. I've seen two good ones in Granbury, those being General Granbury's Birthday Parade and the Granbury 4th of July Parade. I've seen the Arlington 4th of July Parade twice. I think it's the biggest in Texas, which likely makes it the biggest in America. I really liked the Ennis Polka Festival Parade. It was so good it was as if some Hollywood script writer was making it up.

I've been to the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo one time, my first year in Texas. It was interesting, but I don't think I'm much of a rodeo fan.

I've been to the Stock Show, itself, only one time. It is like a state fair. Not as big and busy as the State Fair of Texas, but it is still a good fair. The weather can be the most vexing part of the Stock Show, it being winter. But I prefer dressing up to stay warm to dressing down to stay cool, like you have to do at the Dallas fair on a hot fall day. It's easier to stay warm when it's cold than it is to stay cool when it's hot.

I may try and make an effort to go to the Stock Show Parade on Saturday. If I do, I'll take my video camera along.

Go here for more information about the Fort Worth Stock Show.