First 10-day attendance — by all daily visitors and participants –ran about 3.3 percent behind last year’s record pace at the 23-day Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo in Will Rogers Memorial Center, according to show data.
The cumulative total came to about 458,800 people, including multiple-day attendees counted for each day in Will Rogers Memorial Center, through Sunday night this week. That’s down from the approximate 474,500 through the comparable 10 first days a year earlier. Included are ticket sales for 13 of the 36 rodeo performances in Will Rogers Coliseum.
“Attendance remains strong considering we’ve had some cold and, at times, cloudy days,” Stock Show publicity manager Matt Brockman said Monday.
Rodeo performances were sold out through Sunday night, he reported.
Despite the moderately slower overall attendance pace, the second-weekend weather was decent, often sunny and mild, drawing especially heavy day traffic and crowds filling some parking lots. Attendees often parked vehicles across nearby neighborhoods and business areas.
At times, the indoor commercial exhibits areas were so crowded that attendees slowed to inching along the aisles — a perennial Stock Show weekend experience. Last year’s 23-day total for all daily visitors and participants came to about 1,248,500 people, according to show records.
“We’re thrilled by the interest in our rodeo performances, and the (weather) forecast looks awesome beginning Wednesday,” Brockman.
“We’re eager for the crowds to arrive and encourage people coming on Saturday or Sunday to take advantage of Rodeo Redline, our Stock Show shuttle service,” he said.
“Located at the north lot at Billy Bob’s, it runs every 20 minutes and drives you to the front entrance of the Stock Show grounds. Go to our Website (http://www.fwssr.com/) for more information.”