Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Cancelled Due To Concerns Over COVID-19

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has been cancelled due to concerns over COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. Several Houston-area news…

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Lauren Jo Black

| Posted on

March 11, 2020

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12:20 pm

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Luke Bryan, Kane Brown; Photos by Andrew Wendowski

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has been cancelled due to concerns over COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. Several Houston-area news outlets reported the news on Wednesday (March 11), shortly after the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a global pandemic.

The event was scheduled to run through Sunday, March 22 and feature performances from some of music’s biggest stars, including country music’s own Kane Brown, Cody Johnson, Jon Pardi, Dierks Bentley, Keith Urban, Chris Stapleton, Brad Paisley and Luke Bryan.

Midland, Willie Nelson and Maren Morris performed at the event earlier this month.

According to a report by The Houston Chronicle, the event typically draws around 100,000 people to NRG Park on Saturdays and Sundays. This is the first shutdown of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo since the event’s inception in 1937.

The news comes after major music festivals Coachella and Stagecoach were cancelled due to concerns over coronavirus. Zac Brown Band also revealed plans to postpone their spring tour due to “increasing public health concerns.”

UPDATE: Officials in Houston confirmed the cancellation of the event during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon. Event grounds will close at 4 pm local time today. According to a Tweet from Rodeo Houston, officials are still working out details regarding refunds. “A ticket refund process is still in the works and will be communicated once it is finalized,” the update reads.

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Lauren Jo Black

Written by

Lauren Jo Black

Lauren Jo Black, a University of Central Florida graduate, has immersed herself in the world of country music for over 15 years. In 2008, she co-founded CountryMusicIsLove, eventually selling it to a major record label in 2015. Following the rebranding of the website to Sounds Like Nashville, Black served as Editor-in-Chief for two and a half years. Currently, she assumes the role of Editor-in-Chief at Country Now and oversees Country Now’s content and digital footprint. Her extensive experience also encompasses her previous role as a Country Music Expert Writer for Answers.com and her work being featured on Forbes.com. She’s been spotlighted among Country Aircheck’s Women of Influence and received the 2012 Rising Star Award from the University of Central Florida. Black also spent time in front of the camera as host of Country Now Live, which brought live music directly to fans in 2021 when the majority of concerts were halted due to the pandemic. During this time, she hosted 24 weeks of live concerts via Country Now Live on Twitch with special guests such as Lady A, Dierks Bentley, Jordan Davis, Brett Young, and Jon Pardi. Over the course of her career, she has had the privilege of conducting interviews with some of the industry’s most prominent stars, including Reba McEntire, Blake Shelton, Luke Combs, Carrie Underwood, Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Lainey Wilson, and many others. Lauren Jo Black is a longtime member of the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music.