Cloverdale Rodeo weekend May 17 - 20, 2013

It's that time of the year again when Cloverdale comes alive with a rodeo, fairgrounds rides, animal expos, and vendors hawking their wares. If you've ever dreamed of being a cowboy or cowgirl or just like watching them in action, the Cloverdale Rodeo and Fair is on from May 17th to 20th, 2013.

Here's a rundown for what to expect and for more information you can go to the Cloverdale Rodeo website http://www.cloverdalerodeo.com/

Actually the events start one day in advance on Thursday May 16 with the Cloverdale bed races taking place on 176A Street between 57th and 58th Avenues and a bike parade from 5pm to 7pm.

On Friday May 17th come to the Clover Square Village - corner of 177B Street and Highway 10 - for the chili cook off 4:30pm to 6:30pm. Sampling and voting is free. There are singers up on the stage to entertain the audience.

Cloverdale Rodeo Parade is on Saturday morning May 18th starting at 10am depends where you are for viewing it. The parade entries set up between 56A and 58th Avenues east of 176A Street, and if they're following the pattern they do every year, they get into formation along 177B Street and head south to Highway 10. They turn right (west) on Highway 10 where half the highway has been blocked to vehicle traffic and then turns right (north) down 176th Street. The parade goes all the way down to 58A Avenue then turns right, and then left onto 176A Street back towards the fairgrounds and just kind of ends along this stretch.

I heard that the free trolley rides are going on Saturday and Sunday but I haven't been able to find out for sure yet. Normally it runs between Clover Square Village, Hawthorne Square in downtown Cloverdale, Clover Crossing Mall, and Clayton Hill Mall. If I find out if the trolley will be back I'll post it here.

I'll have some more posts coming soon about where to park in Cloverdale and pancake breakfasts.

Cloverdale Rodeo Parade 2011

The Cloverdale Rodeo Parade is on Saturday May 21 starting at 10am. In an unusual move this year the rodeo association has published the parade route. Its kind of hit or miss whether they do that each year. Usually miss. But the route is usually the same anyway. The parade entries set up between 176A Street and 177B Street on 56A Ave, 57 Ave, 57A Ave, 58 Ave, and 58A Ave. You can go down ahead of time and wander around. No restrictions to pedestrian traffic. They get rolling down 177B Street and head to Highway 10 where the west bound lanes are closed to traffic. I can't remember if I mentioned being in the parade when I was in high school riding my horse alongside a friend, a green rider riding a green horse. Always a good combination in crowds. As soon as we got to Highway 10 and the traffic on the other side of the road her horse took one look at the cars and decided to spin around and go home. I had to grab its reins and lead it alongside my bomb proof Quarter Horse until we safely reached 176th Street and no vehicle traffic. The parade goes down 176th Street to 58A Ave, then turns north on 176A Street and heads back to the fairgrounds, though most of the entries tend to fall apart before getting there. Its easier to turn right and go back to the staging area I guess!
You can download the parade route map here.

Good rule of thumb is if you aren't interested in the Cloverdale Rodeo or parade stay out of the area!

If you're thinking about being an entry in this year's Cloverdale Rodeo Parade you don't have a whole lot more time to think about it. Entries close on Monday May 9. Click here for the entry form.