Rodeo weekend promises something for everyone
Photo by Shari Harris
This Underground Railroad Quilt, made by members of the Licking High School Class of 2026 when they were in elementary school, will be auctioned at noon on Rodeo Saturday as a fundraiser for the Texas County Museum of Art & History.
The 41st Annual Licking Chamber of Commerce Rodeo begins Friday evening, May 29, but festivities will have begun earlier in the day.
Town & Country Bank-Licking Branch will be holding its annual Customer Appreciation Barbecue, with good food, giveaways and music.
New this year, Intercounty Electric is hosting a Community Health Fair from 8 a.m. to noon at their auditorium in Licking. Discounted lab work, blood pressure checks, health and wellness information, information and resources related to special needs children, and much more will be available. Texas County Memorial Hospital, Texas County Home Health of the Ozarks, Texas County Health Dept., Children’s Behavioral Services, Ozark Action, Ozarks Healthcare, Tri-County Center for Independent Living, Phelps Health and Siteman Cancer Center, Three Rivers Hospice, MO Ozarks Community Health, State Health Insurance Program, Licking Residential Care, Rehabilitation Services for the Blind, Lions Club-Saving Sight Program and other health-related vendors are expected.
Friday night’s rodeo is Senior Citizen Night and Military Night, with senior citizens and retired military and spouses getting in at half price, and active duty military admitted free. The goat scramble is Friday night, and Rinne Tire Pros sponsors the large screen TV giveaway.
Saturday starts with vendors downtown at 9 a.m. This year, in addition to the handmade crafts displayed by vendors, look for the ax-throwing trailer, raffle tickets from several organizations, and lots of food and drink trucks and booths. You’ll also find some candidates running for public office and other information booths.
The Book Nook at the Texas County Museum of Art & History is having a big book sale, with funds supporting the local Friends of the Library. Don’t miss it!
The high school cheerleaders will be in charge of fun and games in front of City Hall in the morning, so come by and join the fun.
The cloggers will entertain from 11 to 11:30 a.m., followed by music from Craig Brake at 11:30. They will alternate, with the cloggers returning at noon and Brake returning to the stage from 12:30 to 1 p.m.
Also at noon, the Underground Railroad Quilt made by this year’s graduating senior class at Licking High School when they were in elementary school will be raffled at the Texas County Museum of Art & History. This is a fundraiser for the museum, and the quilt will be a keepsake for families of those youth who participated in its creation.
At 2 p.m., the rodeo parade will make its way through downtown Licking.
Saturday evening is Pink Night. The calf scramble will be held during the rodeo, and a Wild Horse Race will follow the evening’s regular events. The City of Licking sponsors the large screen TV giveaway that evening.
The gates open at 5:30 each evening. The Texas County Cattlemen’s Association will have dummy roping available for those young cowhands. Sign up for mutton bustin’ between 5:30 and 6 p.m., with the sheep riders beginning at 6:30 p.m. Children ages eight and under and less than 55 pounds can participate in mutton bustin’. Regular rodeo events are scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Junior Bulls by Boll Weevil Livestock & Rodeo will be part of the action each night. You’ll also find great food at the concession booth and funnel cakes!
The two days promise to be full of activities, so come out and enjoy the fun at the annual Licking Rodeo!
