The annual Matagorda County Fair & Livestock Association rodeo and fair weekend always signal the start of spring in my mind – more than anything else really.
And while the date moves around on the calendar a bit, for the most part, it’s almost always coincided with Spring Break too.
It’s also one of those major event markers that signals a rush of seasonal events that peaks with school getting out at the end of May.
I mean, between now and then, we have a handful of holidays and events like Easter, but things definitely pick up.
It’s hard to be in this business and be absent from large community events like this.
The rest are at the mercy of our schedules, event communication, and the ability to spread coverage around.
And I get it – we’re trying to beat the hottest months of the year, the start of hurricane season, and make memories for upcoming graduates.
I just don’t remember it being so busy when I was in school, but that’s a different stroll down memory lane.
We’ve been trying to cover as many events as we can depending on how busy things are getting and I think we’ve done fairly well.
But, back to the fair and rodeo!
With over 10 years working on this paper, I’ve gotten to see a lot of those fair kids grow up to the point where they are seniors this year.
It’s almost surreal sometimes when I stop and think about it.
Outside of freelancing various random media and photography jobs throughout my life, this is the longest time I’ve spent for any company.
Way back in 2009 when I had my first editorial job at the Bay City Tribune, I covered the fair and rodeo back then, too.
It was my first exposure and foray into the agricultural side of Matagorda County.
And I know that’s a bit of a lame thing to admit, but it never interested me much as a student and it took a few years after that for me to see the impact with my own eyes.
Growing up, my only real point of agriculture reference was from a few classroom peers and my mom.
To tell the truth, as a teenager I was just like the rest of them – moody, not listening, and eager to get out of Bay City.
I didn’t have much interest in raising animals, 4H/FFA, or cared to educate myself to try and understand why agriculture was so important to Matagorda County.
Nowadays, that’s why I find it so important to try and provide as much coverage as I can on ag events, workshops, and banquets.
We’re at a unique place on the Gulf Coast where we’re growing with more industry and looking toward the future – but it sometimes seems like we’re forgetting our roots.
Matagorda County is still rural and has been since its inception and I don’t think that’s going to stop any time soon.
Honestly, even with things like solar farms, windmills, and other industrial businesses coming online, I think we can all work together to respect and support our agricultural heritage.
Don’t forget, shopping locally and patronizing events like the fair and rodeo are also part of preserving our culture and history.
