Photo Credit: Linda Evans
After the lights come up, the final song has been played, and the night’s performer hops aboard the back of a truck while waving goodbye to their thousands of fans, many might consider Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ over for the evening. But not all of the Rodeo attendees file out to their cars. Some know exactly where to keep the night going. The good time continues with live music and cold drinks at a variety of locations across NRG Park.
THE HIDEOUT
For more than 25 years, The Hideout has been a destination for those who crave an additional concert experience, one more intimate than the 70,000-seat performances in NRG Stadium.
Open daily during the Show from 6 p.m. to midnight and nestled in the southeast corner of the grounds, The Hideout has nightly concerts at 10:15 p.m. on weeknights and 8:30 p.m. on weekends. These performances have launched the Rodeo careers of musicians like hometown hero Cody Johnson, who previously performed at The Hideout and later appeared on the main stage. Other notable performers back in the day include Blake Shelton, Gretchen Wilson and The Band Perry.
The Hideout, which has an expanded patio with seating in addition to 15 full-service bars, attracts a diverse crowd looking for a cold drink and live music to enjoy. The Hideout may have an “if you know, you know” reputation, but Kam Hasmukh, chairman of the Corral Club Hideout Committee, said it is not all regulars in the tent. “You’d be amazed how many first-timers we see because they’ve heard about us or seen us online — lately, it’s been through social media,” he said. “If you’ve never been, you need to experience it once. It’s unlike anything you would experience at any rodeo.”
One thing to know about the Hideout — it fills up. Make sure to head there straight from the Show as soon as the Rodeo ends.
THE CHAMPION WINE GARDEN
The Champion Wine Garden is a short commute from NRG Stadium’s Kroger Gate into the Champion Wine Garden, presented by Frost Bank. “My favorite part of the night every night is when the stadium lets out, and you see just this sea of people coming down all of the ramps and flowing straight into the Wine Garden,” Wine Show Director Jennifer Lindsay said.
She said the Wine Garden attracts groups of friends or committeemen, particularly for its variety. Every day, the Wine Garden has at least one performing act on weekends, at least two that play most of the opening hours, including the last few hours after the Show. “ The Wine Garden has a lot of options, so if you want to sit and hang out with your friends, you can, and if you want to dance and enjoy the band, you can,” Lindsay said. “It offers a lot of opportunity, so within a group of friends, you have people looking for different things. It gives a well-rounded experience.”
Live music has been an integral part of the Wine Garden since its early years, but the caliber of acts has increased over the years, according to Lindsay. The performers who tend to be the most well-received are the “wedding bands,” as Lindsay described — the bands that have everyone on the dance floor singing. In addition to these lively performances, the Wine Garden’s appeal is access to more than 75 award-winning wines at various prices. “Wine continues to be a popular beverage, and so it’s something that’s very culturally a part of a lot of different people’s world and something a lot of people enjoy as part of their day,” Lindsay said.
So, whether you choose to dance the night away, crack open a cold one or grab an award-winning bottle of wine to wind down, a good time is guaranteed.
