Park it here for the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo

January 12,2017

No, the Fort Worth Stock Show is not in the Stockyards. It hasn’t been there for 73 years.

But go to the Stockyards anyway — because this year, that’s the best place to park.

Construction on the new Will Rogers Memorial Center arena and garage took away 500 parking places this year only. By next year, a new, 2,200-car garage will be open.

But when this year’s Stock Show begins its 23-day run Friday, it will only offer about 3,500 parking spaces. Weekend crowds push 150,000, so parking gets tight.

“Rodeo Redline” shuttle buses will run every 20 minutes. They depart from the $5 parking in the 200 block of Stockyards Boulevard, near the Billy Bob’s Texas nightclub and adjacent barbecue restaurant in the Stockyards.

The regular Stock Show parking costs $10. So the Redline is not only cheaper, but also has a shorter walk.

For a preview, the All-Western Parade hoofs it through downtown Fort Worth at 11 a.m. Saturday. Reserved seating at Sundance Square ($25) or the Fort Worth Convention Center ($15) includes free admission to the Stock Show, or stand anywhere else along Main or Houston streets to see more than 150 riding clubs, wagons, floats and the TCU Horned Frog Marching Band.

And be nice to the Stock Show guests in town. They spend $178 million and generate $14.6 million in state and local tax revenue each year.