Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo parade canceled due to threat of bad weather
January 18,2019
See full Star-Telegram article by Kaley Johnson here.
The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo parade scheduled for Saturday morning was canceled Friday night due to bad weather.
According to event organizers, the All Western Parade was canceled due to the threat of heavy winds. A strong cold front is expected to hit downtown Fort Worth around the time the parade would begin.
The bad weather would create unsafe conditions for spectators, participants and livestock, according to a press release.
This is only the second time the 123-year-old parade has been canceled in recent history, according to the release.
The City of Fort Worth’s Office of Emergency Management and Stock Show officials monitored the weather forecast throughout Friday and made the decision to cancel the parade at 5:30 p.m, according to the news release.
“While the parade is a celebratory event kicking off our annual Stock Show & Rodeo, we need to make decisions in the best interests of everyone involved,” said Brad Barnes, president and general manager of the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, in the press release. “Winds are estimated to be sustained at 20 to 30 miles per hour with gusts exceeding 35. The challenging effect of the Northwest winds through downtown skyscrapers will only make these conditions worse.”
According to Star-Telegram archives, the parade began in 1913 and this is the fourth cancellation in 107 years.
Those who bought reserved seating for the parade can exchange their tickets to a season grounds pass for the 23-day run of the Stock Show or request a refund for the dollar value of their parade ticket at the Stock Show’s main ticket offices at 3401 W. Lancaster Avenue.
On Saturday, temperatures will be in the 30s with wind chills in the upper 20s or 30s and wind gusts will be as high 35-40 mph.