PRESTON – That Famous Preston Night Rodeo kicks off today with parades, sidewalk sales, entertainment and City of Fun Carnival bringing some 20,000 extra bodies in town.
Tickets for the rodeo are sold out, and scalpers are out in force scamming people online. Rodeo organizers are warning people not to buy from anyone on Facebook or Google.
As this year’s rodeo begins today, the battle of livestock and cowboys in Franklin County is the biggest event and celebration of their year.
For those that don’t have tickets the rodeo will be featured on the Rodeo Channel.
The parade will start at 6 p.m. every evening. Each of the three nights of pre-rodeo events start at 8:15 p.m. and the rodeo begins at 8:30 p.m.
The Rodeo Days Sidewalk sale will take place on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Benson Park. Participants can expect to find all kinds of clothes, gifts, crafts, food trucks and some of Franklin County’s best entertainment.
The Famous Preston Night Rodeo started in 1934 and has been going every year since, except for one year during the war and one year during COVID. They claim the rodeo is the first night rodeo in the world.
This year the rodeo committee has designated Thursday as “Man Up. Domestic Abuse Awareness and Prevention,” the color is purple. Friday will be “Patriot Night” and the colors are red, white and blue. Saturday is “Celebrate Cowboy Night.”
This rodeo attracts some of the biggest names in the industry and they have increased the stadium’s seating capacity to near 7,000 people.
Justin McKee will be returning as the voice of the rodeo. McKee has qualified as a finalist for PRCA Announcer of the Year several times. He currently broadcasts for the Cowboy Channel and is well known for his good humor and descriptive commentary.
Barrel man and rodeo clown JJ Harrison was invited back. Harrison is as much of an improviser and stand-up comedian as he is a barrel man, bullfighter and a real crowd pleaser.
The Specialty Act this year is Jessica Blair Fowlkes. Last year the girls performed at the National Finals Breakaway Roping Championships.
The rodeo brings together organizations and entrepreneurs to make the weekend special.
The carnival will thrill people with their rides and boardwalk games on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in the park east of the rodeo grounds.
There is also a chuckwagon breakfast that will be held from 7 a.m. until 10 a.m. on Friday and Saturday mornings, sponsored by a local church group.
The Annual Preston City Amateur Golf Tournament will be held Saturday morning from 7 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Groll Family Fitness is sponsoring a Tri/Biathlon for bike riders, swimmers and runners from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. Sign up at grollfamilyfitness.com.
For more information on That Famous Preston Night Rodeo, go to prestonrodeo.com.