How Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo is preparing for winter blast, icy weather
Wintry mix and freezing temperatures are on the horizon for Cowtown, but the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo is prepared.
An Arctic cold front will arrive in the region on Friday, Jan. 23, with wintry mix (rain, ice, sleet) arriving by the afternoon and evening hours, according to the National Weather Service Fort Worth. Temperatures are expected to stay well below freezing for three days straight, with wind chills on Sunday morning around zero degrees.
As North Texans prepare for the freeze, stock show and rodeo staff are ready for “whatever may come our way,” FWSSR communications director Matt Brockman told the Star-Telegram Tuesday morning.
“This is something that we plan and prepare for in advance each year,” Brockman noted.
FWSSR prepares for winter freeze
Throughout the 23-day event every year, Brockman said the FWSSR keeps in daily contact with the city of Fort Worth.
To that end, the city’s transportation and public works departments will be ready to ensure that the surrounding streets around Dickies Arena and the Will Rogers Memorial Center will be cleared as soon as possible in the event of ice or snow. The city has sanding and salting crews ready to go, Brockman added.
For streets inside the center, that responsibility falls to the Will Rogers’ staff, which is also ready to go with salt and sand. The goal is to have clear walkways for people and livestock.
“Those actions will be implemented as soon as they need to be, when freezing precipitation does begin to accumulate,” Brockman said.
A plus for the FWSSR is that most of its events are located indoors.
For operations located outside, like the carnival, Brockman said there’s a possibility that those would temporarily close during any freezing precipitation.
Beyond that, the show (and rodeos) will go on.
“We just urge people to, first, be careful, second, layer up and get comfortable, and come out,” Brockman said.
The Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo has a no refund/no exchange policy on rodeo tickets, which are valid only for their scheduled performances.
FWSSR rides on
This year marks the 129th edition of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.
Since 1896, the event celebrating Western culture, cowboys and agriculture has brought millions of people to Fort Worth from around the world. The 23-day event is Jan. 16 to Feb. 7 at Dickies Arena and Will Rogers Memorial Center.
There’s plenty to do and see, from daily rodeos and live music to cattle shows and merchandise galore. The Star-Telegram put together a guide for everything, from tickets and parking to live music and rodeo schedules.
This story was originally published January 20, 2026 at 1:12 PM.
