FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – Vendors are setting up shop, signs are posted and livestock is moving in as the start of the 2022 Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo prepares to start Friday, Jan. 14.
This event brings thousands of people from across the state of Texas and several other states, but there are some changes with the event this year as we continue to see a spike in COVID-19 cases.
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This year the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo said they are teaming up with Tarrant County Public Health in hopes of keeping people safe.
“They’ve added some exciting elements this year,” President of Reata Restaurant, Mike Micallef said.
It’s the talk of the town, even the talk of the city council meeting Tuesday.
People are ready for one the city’s biggest events of the year.
“After a year off, just how exciting it is to have the rodeo back and up and running,” one council member, Leonard Firestone said.
People across town are hyped up for the return of the stock show. It was cancelled last year due to the pandemic.
“The stock show is always a special time,” Micallef said. “It really allows us restaurants tourists to really connect not only with our customers here in Fort Worth but really all across the state.”
The show brings in a lot of people which also helps with economy.
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“Normally we get about 1.2 million visitors over the 23-day run of the show,” Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo Communications Manager Matt Brockman said.
As we expect to see large crowds gather there are concerns with COVID-19, and now the people behind the stock show said they are doing what they can to help.
“We’re providing masks distribution facilities across the complex also providing lots of hand sanitation stations,” Brockman said.
Brockman said a lot has changed in the last year, and they decided to host the event because vaccinations are readily available to the public.
He said they are not mandating anything, but…
“They’ll be set up during the 23-day run of the show providing the Moderna, the Pfizer and the Johnson & Johnson vaccines and booster,” Brockman said. “Fort Worth Fire Department will facilitate a COVID testing site here on location as well.”
No appointments are required for COVID-19 testing and vaccines that will be available at the stock show, it will be first come first served.
The set up continues, as people start to flock to Fort Worth.
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Alexis Wainwright
Alexis Wainwright is an Emmy Award-winning journalist. Before moving to the Lone Star State, she was a reporter and performed some anchor duties at…More from Alexis Wainwright
