RodeoHouston 2021 corralled

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2021 canceled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns

Garth Brooks opening night RodeoHouston full stage

RodeoHouston has been corralled due to COVID-19.

Photo by Steven Devadanam

The beloved Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo show has fallen victim to the COVID-19 pandemic yet again. The rodeo announced the cancellation of RodeHouston competitions, concerts and entertainment, carnival, attractions, and other activities on February 3.

These activities were recently rescheduled for May 4–23, due to the ongoing health situation.

The Downtown Rodeo Parade, Trail Ride activities, Rodeo Uncorked! Roundup & Best Bites Competition, and the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest (presented by Comcast Business) are canceled for 2021. The Rodeo Run, presented by ConocoPhillips, will be held in a virtual format; details will be announced when available.

Dates and information for the 2022 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will be announced once available, per a press release.

“Several factors contributed to the decision, from a community health and safety perspective, as well as a financial one,” reads the rodeo announcement. “Above all, the health and safety of the community is the rodeo’s top priority, and after much consultation with local and state officials and medical experts, rodeo officials concluded that cancelling the 2021 event was the right decision, with community health at the forefront of the decision.”

Fortunately for rodeo faithful, the Junior Livestock and Horse Show competitions will be held in March, upholding the Rodeo’s mission of promoting agriculture and supporting Texas youth, per the announcement.

Junior Market Auctions and Champion Wine Auction will also still be held in May, also as private events. These events promise to follow all state and local health and safety guidelines.

Last year, in March 2020, the rodeo was forced to suddenly shutter due to the growing rate of COVID-19 infections, including some staff.

In 2019, the rodeo generated a total economic impact of $227 million, per the rodeo’s 2019 Economic Impact Study. The rodeo also provided a total economic activity of $391 million in Greater Houston.

Importantly, the rodeo promises to uphold educational commitment of $21,691,500 to statewide educational programs. Since its inception in 1932, the rodeo has committed more than $500 million to the youth of Texas and educational initiatives.

This is breaking news; CultureMap will update this story as it develops.

houston-rodeo

money woes

Houston has 2nd most financially distressed residents in America

Photo by Adrian Newell on Unsplash

Houstonians are feeling the financial stress in 2026.

A new study has confirmed what many Houston residents are already feeling: Houston has one of the highest shares of people in financial distress in the nation.

Houston ranked No. 2 in WalletHub's just-released report, "Cities with the Most People in Financial Distress," which analyzed 100 of the largest U.S. cities across nine personal finance metrics: average credit scores and year-over-year changes; the share of residents with accounts in distress and year-over-year changes; the average number of accounts in distress; year-over-year change in bankruptcy filings from September 2024 to September 2025; and "debt" and "loans" search interest indexes.

For the purpose of this study, WalletHub defined "financial distress" as having a credit account in forbearance or with deferred payments.

Chicago, Illinois led the nation with the No. 1 most financially distressed residents, and Las Vegas, Nevada rounded out the top three.

According to the report's findings, Houston residents signaled a "strong need for borrowing" after having the highest search interest nationally for terms like "debt" and "loans." Houstonians also had the 10th highest increase in bankruptcy filings from September 2024 to September 2025.

"Houston has a high share of the population with accounts in distress compared to most other cities, at over 8 percent, and it also has a high number of accounts in distress per person," the report said.

Here's how WalletHub broke down the rest of Houston's overall ranking:

No. 32 – Credit score rank
No. 35 – Average number of accounts in distress rank
No. 39 – People with accounts in distress rank

High unemployment rates and inflation are major factors contributing to most Americans' financial woes, the report said, and rising property taxes can create an even bigger burden for homeowners and renters alike. Texas residents may feel a greater burden than residents elsewhere in the country after the Lone Star State was dubbed the No. 1 most most financially distressed state in America in 2025. And digging oneself out of the "downward spiral" isn't easy, according to WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo.

"You may get temporary relief from your lenders by not having to make payments, but all the while interest will keep building up, making the debt even harder to pay off," Lupo said.

Though no Texas city is feeling the financial squeeze as much as Houston, three more of the state's biggest cities also ranked among the top 10 most financially distressed places in America: Dallas (No. 4), San Antonio (No. 6) and Austin (No. 9). Fort Worth ranked 12th overall.

The top 10 most financially distressed cities in the nation are:

No. 1 – Chicago
No. 2 – Houston
No. 3 – Las Vegas
No. 4 – Dallas
No. 5 – Los Angeles
No. 6 – San Antonio
No. 7 – Atlanta
No. 8 – New York
No. 9 – Austin
No. 10 – Phoenix

finance wallethub houston

RodeoHouston 2021 corralled

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo 2021 canceled due to ongoing COVID-19 concerns

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Houston has 2nd most financially distressed residents in America

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