It’s that time of year again, Houstonians. Pull those boots out of your closet and practice your drawl – the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is coming to town.

In addition to the regular Livestock Show, this year’s Rodeo concert lineup is packed with lots of big names: KISS, Kid Rock, Clay Walker, Janet Jackson, and Rascal Flatts, to name a few. If pyrotechnics and Jumbotrons aren’t your scene, though, there are also some more low key (and low budget) acts you can see at the Hideout.

Festivities start off this weekend with the World’s Champion Bar-B-Que Contest – three days of heat, meat, and music on the blacktop outside Reliant Arena.

Make time for the Rodeo Parade this Friday, which typically involves lots of mariachi bands and children dressed as cowboys.

If you’re of a hardy stock, you can take part in the ConocoPhillips Rodeo Run on Saturday morning. That way, you can justify all the bar-b-que you scarf down later in the day.

Then, you can hit up the main event next week, starting March 1. Be sure to check out my personal favorite, the Calf Scramble. Because there is very little more entertaining than kids chasing cows.