Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo hit record 2.7M attendees in 2025

Since 1932, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has brought cowboys and cowgirls, country music performers, farmers and Texas youth together. Each year, the Rodeo hosts several diverse events, including auctions, cookoffs and concerts, all with the goal of promoting Western heritage.

By the numbers

With the 2026 rodeo just beginning, a newly released 2025 impact report shows that last year broke several standing records, including a new all-time attendance record of 2.7 million guests over 23 days.

Here’s a glimpse of what the report stated:

• $326 million of direct economic impact was generated in the Greater Houston area
• $597 million of total economic activity was produced
• $630 million of total educational support has been given since 1932

“Each year, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo leaves a lasting impact, but the 2025 Rodeo season reached new heights,” President Chris Boleman said. “The numbers speak for themselves and reflect the pride our great city of Houston—and 36,000 volunteers—have in our mission.”

Who it affects

In 2025, the Rodeo announced a new type of donation that provided $500,000 in aid for flood recovery efforts in the Texas Hill Country after the July 4 flash floods.

“As the world’s largest livestock show and rodeo, we understand the responsibility we have to stand with our neighbors in times of crisis,” Boleman said in the report. “Thousands of people were impacted by the floods, many of whom are exhibitors at our annual event and critical to the agriculture and livestock industries.”

Measuring the impact

Additionally, the Rodeo continues to be one of the largest scholarship and educational contributors in the country, per the report, with more than $14 million given in scholarships.

Other statistics mentioned in the report include:

• Nearly 18,000 young cowboys and cowgirls rode the pony rides
• 961 chicks hatched in the Poultry Exhibit
• Approximately 540,000 prizes were won at the carnival games
• The most popular food items were turkey legs, jumbo corn, Michaelaguas, deep-fried Oreos and funnel cakes

Going forward

As for 2026 and the upcoming years, Pat Mann Phillips, chairman of the board of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, said she is focused on keeping the Rodeo grounded in its roots and in remembrance of the trailblazers who shaped it into what it is today.

“Looking to the future, our focus is to deliver an exceptional Rodeo experience and continue to invest in our community by promoting agriculture and the core values of Western heritage,” she said. “We’re also providing the essential education and understanding of flood and fiber production to meet the agricultural demands of an ever-growing population. Moreover, we are empowering the next generation of Texans to meet this challenge.”