The University of Houston’s Longest-Standing Tradition
Frontier Fiesta, the University of Houston’s oldest and proudest tradition, continues to breathe life into the campus by drawing people, including celebrities, from all corners of the state.
Originally established in 1939 by Dr. Kemmerer, the event faced a temporary hiatus during World War II. However, in 1991, Frontier Fiesta was successfully reintroduced and has since become a recurring highlight on the university’s calendar.
Frontier Fiesta serves as a huge benefit for the University because of the recognition it has gained throughout the years. It is also a tremendous economic benefit for the city of Houston because of the annual Livestock Show.
This show began with only a few entries, but eventually, thousands of people began to participate and it eventually evolved into the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, one of the largest attractions in the city. (editor of the UH frontier fiesta, 2019)
The rodeo features a western-themed amusement park with a diverse array of attractions to explore. Visitors can enjoy numerous rides and exhibitions. For young ones interested in bull riding, there’s an amateur bull ride opportunity. This year, a new addition to the festivities was a BBQ eating competition, offering participants a chance to win a prize of $500.
“It’s just Texas tradition, and I really enjoy it,” shares Brianna, who works for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo while being a full-time Journalism student at the University of Houston. Upon learning that the Rodeo’s concept was inspired by UH’s Frontier Fiesta, she responded, “I actually did not know that, but I’m not surprised.”
2019 was a record-breaking year for the Rodeo with attendance reaching 2,506,263 and the concert ticket sales at a whopping 1,337,725. The Rodeo also committed $27,174,610 to the youth of Texas in 2019, $14,286,000 in scholarships to be awarded this summer, $8,305,250 to junior show exhibitors, $3,969,720 in educational program grants, and $613,640 in graduate assistantships.
As the saying goes, numbers do not lie, and the Houston Rodeo has undeniably established a strong reputation not just for itself but also for the entire city of Houston.
Tony, this year’s Director of Operations for Frontier Fiesta, emphasized the dedication of construction workers who tirelessly worked during the day throughout spring break to ensure the seamless execution of the three-day event. He highlighted that Frontier Fiesta holds the distinction of being the University of Houston’s longest-standing tradition, and it is entirely organized and led by students.
During the fiesta, Biotechnology student Fatimah Abidogun expressed her view, stating, “I think it is very unfortunate that the Houston Rodeo is more popular than Frontier Fiesta when it was our idea, to begin with.”
Interestingly, upon examining the background information and history timeline on the Houston Livestock Rodeo website, it appears that certain aspects do not align with the origins of Frontier Fiesta.
“In 1931, The Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition was created after seven men meet for lunch at the Texas State Hotel, with the goal of preserving the cattle industry along the Texas Gulf Coast area. In 1932, the first show is held at the Democratic Convention Hall before it was demolished in 1937. The Sam Houston Coliseum replaced it in time for the show in 11938. During this year, the rodeo, horse show, and downtown parade were added to the event”
An excerpt from ( https://www.rodeohouston.com/About-Us/History# )
When asked about his response to the information on the Rodeo’s website, Tony straightforwardly stated, “Well, that information is just incorrect.”
While recognizing that there are often two sides to every story, it is evident that Frontier Fiesta goers are firmly supporting their stance.
