to be honest. Most people, regardless of age, know how to act during spring break. Common sense is not entirely lost.
Most people know how to read a room, or in this case, read the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. They know rodeo is no place for booty cheeks and roughhousing.
It’s cowboy boots, lamb, funnel cake and barbecue. Children, families and couples enjoyed a Houston tradition, and people from all backgrounds across the country came together.
However, what we are talking about here is decent expectations and a family-friendly rodeo during spring break. The social media video is shocking; attendees so scantily clad might make livestock cringe. Then there are the fight scenes. Someone threw a wig.
To its credit, the rodeo didn’t fumble around the optics debate. Officials quickly instituted a new dress code policy. Yes, the issues around enforcement and potential discrimination are real and deserve close attention. But when the culture of a beloved activity is hijacked by a few, action must be taken quickly.
Also worth mentioning: Houston is a spring break destination for many families, whether they live in the city or just hours away. I make it a yearly tradition to find the best free or low-cost spring break activities, and we’re never disappointed. Highlights this year were spotting a dozen alligators at Brazos Bend State Park and biking the Houston Trail.
“Houston has long positioned itself as a family spring break destination,” said Michael Heckman, president and CEO of Houston First. “I think sometimes when people hear the words ‘spring break’ and ‘destination,’ they think of the crazy parties they see in other places across the country. We have long positioned Houston as a great place for families to go.”
March has been great for Houston.
The rodeo alone is expected to attract nearly 3 million people this year. Earlier this month, the National Cheerleading Association All-Star National Championships drew about 80,000 spectators. Then there are several major business conferences and, of course, March Madness.
“March was kind of a perfect storm for the visitor economy, and I mean that in a good way. We looked at things at the end of March. It was probably the best March ever for the visitor economy in Houston,” Heckman said.
He said that on the first night of the National Cheerleading Conference, the occupancy rate of the city’s 100,000 hotel rooms exceeded 80%.
There are reports that Houston First’s influencer outreach helped encourage some of the tension we saw at the rodeo last week. This is not accurate. Heckman explained that the organization regularly hosts influencers from across the country and Mexico to highlight Houston’s food, culture, sports and entertainment and showcase the best of our city.
The reality is that some people will always find ways to push the envelope, even if it means wearing next to nothing to a family-friendly event and viewing any consequences that come with it as a personal attack on their freedom.
Most of us just want a funnel cake and a good time.
This article was originally published on Booty shorts from RodeoHouston? Thankfully, Houston’s response was quick.