The 60th Annual Go Texan Parade in downtown Conroe is set to ride again, kicking off rodeo season in the Houston region.
The milestone event that brings a few thousand to downtown Conroe starts at 1 p.m. Feb. 22. The parade start and finish will be at FM 2854 and Texas 75 with the parade winding through the downtown district.
The entries feature Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo dignitaries, horses, law enforcement mounted patrol units, marching bands, school and community groups, car clubs, businesses and elected officials.
“This is the largest gathering of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo officials outside of the event at NRG,” said Brian Dawson, parade chairman.
Here’s what to know before the hooves hit the streets.
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Who puts on the Go Texan Parade in Conroe?
The parade is presented by the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo Houston Metro Go Texan Committee Conroe/Willis/The Woodlands subcommittee and the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce.
The Conroe Go Texan Parade is the only parade outside of the official Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s Downtown Rodeo Parade that is a part of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The Downtown Rodeo Parade is set a week after the Go Texan Parade March 1 in downtown Houston.
Dawson said past parade Grand Marshals will be recognized with a banner as a part of the 60-year celebration and they have all been invited back to participate in 2025.
Additionally, he said many new business owners have reached out about participating in this year’s event. This parade will also see the return of Texas A&M University’s Ross Volunteers, a famous drill and honor guard dating back to 1887.
There are more than 120 entries signed up for the 2025 parade.
“I’m excited about the parade every year,” Dawson said. “That fact that we get to showcase our community to the largest gathering of Rodeo officials outside of NRG, I take a lot of pride in that and the committee takes a lot of pride in that as well.”
He noted that the parade has only missed three years in 60 years for rain, a freeze and one year during the pandemic.
What is the parade route for the Go Texan Parade in Conroe?
The route for 2025 is the same as previous years. The parade begins at Texas 75 and FM 2854 (Metcalf Street) and continues east along Metcalf Street, winding through downtown Conroe.
The parade will turn east toward Conroe City Hall and then travel by the west side of the Montgomery County Courthouse. The parade ends where it starts at Texas 75 and FM 2854.
Who is the Grand Marshal for the Go Texan Parade in Conroe?
Wesley Sinor, executive committee member for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, will be the Grand Marshal for the 60th Conroe Go Texan Parade.
He is a graduate of Texas A&M University where he obtained a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering in 1990 and then continued his education at Rice University where he received his MBA in Business in 1996.
He joined the Houston Livestock Show as a Life Member in 2003 and was one of the founding members of the Gatekeepers Committee. In 2009, he was elected to the Board of Directors and from 2014 to 2016 served as Vice President of HLSR. In 2018, he was elected to the executive committee.
He previously owned Sinor Engine Company and now serves as a consultant. He is married to wife, Cassie, and is an avid horseman and rancher.
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Impact of the Go Texan Parade to downtown Conroe
In recent years, a number of shops, venues and restaurants have opened in downtown’s historic district, giving parade patrons more places to shop and eat before and after the parade.
“This showcases what this community is about and brings people in who aren’t traditionally in downtown to see all the things that are in downtown,” said Scott Harper, president of the Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of Commerce.”
A kick off to rodeo season
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest is Feb. 27 through March 1. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs March 4-23 at NRG Park.
The Montgomery County Fair is set for April 3-13. Many of those who are involved in the Houston rodeo are also involved in the Montgomery County Fair and vice versa.
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