Los Fresnos prepares for annual rodeo

LOS FRESNOS — When the 19th annual Los Fresnos Rodeo and the Cameron County Fair and Livestock Show begins Friday, the city will welcome between 10,000 and 15,000 visitors with open arms.

Throughout the weekend, the community of 5,000 will share their streets, restaurants and stores with tourists from all over the country.

For both rodeo organizers and local business owners, the event brings a long-awaited boon; it is, for many, the most profitable weekend of the year.

Rodeo Chairman Mark Milum estimates that the event will bring between $60,000 to $80,000 in ticket sales, about $30,000 of

which will fund scholarships for local high school students. Other local groups that help organize the event will also receive donations.

But ticket sales are only the beginning of the rodeo’s economic importance to the city.

“While the visitors are here for the rodeo, they also take advantage of other city services,” said Michael Garza, executive director of the Los Fresnos Chamber of Commerce. “Literally, every restaurant is packed. It puts so much money into the economy.”

Cowboys will come from all over the country to participate in the weekend’s rodeo, which is recognized by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association. Guests will gather at restaurants like Julia’s to eat and discuss the event’s goings-on.

“There’s twice as much business as on normal days during the rodeo weekend,” said Julia Macias, owner of Julia’s. “It’s exciting.”

The restaurant will increase the size of its staff in the days leading up to the event in order to properly prepare. In the early years of the rodeo, the restaurant couldn’t keep up with the demand—it used to run out of food by the third day.

“That doesn’t happen anymore,” Macias said. “Now we start preparing by cutting fajitas a week early.”

A block from Julia’s, employees of Los Fresnos Farm and Ranch Supply have begun preparing for their busiest weekend of the year. The store will provide all the feed for the livestock show, which will occur at the same time as the rodeo. Employees will deliver close to a ton of feed to the rodeo ground per day.

“They use only the best feed,” added Pete Serrata, the store’s owner. “They take really good care of those animals.”

“It’s the best time of year,” said Serrata’s wife, Debbie. The store will bring in an additional $1,000 for its services.

This year, the event has moved back its rodeo performances to 8 p.m. on Friday, 7 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

The livestock show begins at 8 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 6 a.m. on Sunday. The carnival opens at 4 p.m. Friday and noon on Saturday and Sunday.

Los Fresnos Rodeo and the Cameron County Fair and Livestock Show

When: Feb 1-3

Where: Los Fresnos Rodeo Grounds

Cost: Tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the gate.

Tickets are available at:

Zarsky Lumber — Los Fresnos

Bullrider — Harlingen

Boot Jack Stores — Valley Wide

Boots-N-Jeans — Weslaco

Harvey’s LP Gas — Los Fresnos

Julia’s Restaurant — Los Fresnos

Gavel Western Wear — Sunrise Mall Brownsville