Fall in Liberty County means that it is once again time for the Trinity Valley Exposition Fair and Rodeo. In its 110th rodeo season, TVE is now the eighth longest-running rodeo in the state of Texas, according to TVE officials.
Events are already starting to kick off in September with the main events – the rodeo parade, fair, concert, dance and rodeos – slated for October.
This year’s TVE Concert Dance, to be held on Oct. 12, will feature Porter, Texas-native Sundance Head, who rose to fame after being a semi-finalist on the sixth season of American Idol. The son of American singer Roy Head, Sundance’s best-known tracks are “Darlin’ Don’t Go,” “At Last,” “Me and Jesus,” and “Treat Her Right.” In the week of Dec. 31, 2016, “Darlin’ Don’t Go peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Chart for Hot Country Songs, surpassed only by songs by Keith Urban, Florida Georgia Line and Brett Eldredge.
Sundance won Season 11 of “The Voice” for Team Blake (Shelton).
According to TVE, the video for Sundance’s debut single “Leave Her Wild” was a World Premiere on CMT last fall and his brand new single “Close Enough To Walk,” written by Sundance and Bobby Tomberlin.
Curtis Grimes will be opening the show at 8 p.m. He will be followed by Sundance Head. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the game. Concert tickets can be picked up at Cowboy Cleaners, Modern Cleaners, Boot Barn or the TVE office, all in Liberty, or purchased online at http://www.tvefair.com.
For the fifth year in a row, TVE is hosting a wine-tasting event with Jimmy and Sandra Sterling as sommeliers. This year’s event will be held on Friday, Oct. 11, from 6 to 8 p.m., in the TVE Community Room. Tickets for $30 each may be purchased at the TVE Office or Sterling Realty, or on the TVE website.
On Saturday, Oct. 12, 10 a.m., the TVE Baby Parade will make its way through downtown Liberty. In 1914, the first parade with floats and walking entries was added to the annual event. The parades were held annually with the exception of 1918-1920 due to World War I and 1941-1945 due to World War II.
The theme of this year’s Baby Parade is “Hollywood.” The parade is open to children through kindergarten. If you want to be part of keeping this time-honor tradition alive, call Chairman Brittany Hudnall at 281-658-7932 or Jennifer Regen at 713-540-3708.
The parade has five divisions – Walking, Riding, Western Riding, Small Float and Large Float. The entry fee is $20 per entry and must be submitted or or before Thursday, Oct. 10.
No duplications are allowed, meaning that no one can use the same idea for an entry. The first one submitted will be accepted and the committee will determine duplications. For more information, send an email to tveparades@yahoo.com or contact Hudnall or Regen at the numbers listed above.
Baby parade entry forms are available at http://www.tvefair.com and can be submitted with a $20 entry fee by mailing to Baby Parade, P.O. Box 9021, Liberty, Texas 77575.
On Wednesday, Oct. 16, schools in the south end of Liberty County will take a holiday for children to celebrate the TVE Opening Day Parade through downtown Liberty. The parade starts at 10 a.m. and each year hundreds of people turn out early to secure their spot to watch the roughly 90-minute parade.
Local high school marching bands typically perform as do the cheerleaders and drill teams from the various school districts. The entry deadline for the parade is Oct. 14. The parade route begins on the south end of town on Main Street at Jefferson Drive (near Brookshire Bros.) and ends at the Liberty County Courthouse Square.
After the parade, the fun continues at the TVE fairgrounds on FM 563 South with a carnival, county fair and exhibits, livestock show and food booths, and culminating with a professional rodeo. Gate admission includes the rodeo, carnival and nightly dance. Seating at the rodeo is available on a first-come, first-served basis, and seats are not guaranteed if the arena is at capacity.
The tickets are $10 for adults Wednesday through Friday, and $15 for adults on Saturday. Children 4-17 and seniors 65 and older are $5. Children under 3 are free. Parking is an additional $5. Tickets do not include carnival rides.
To purchase tickets, go online to http://www.tvefair.com or pay at the gate.
Here’s a list of other TVE-related events through October:
- Sept. 28, 9 a.m. – TVE Youth Rodeo in the TVE Arena
- Oct. 9, 6:30 p.m. – Appreciation Dinner, TVE Fairgrounds
- Oct. 11-12 – TVE Barbecue Cookoff on the TVE Fairgrounds
- Oct. 11, 6 p.m. – TVE Wine Tasting in the TVE Community Room
- Oct. 11, 7 p.m. – 42 Dominos Tournament in the TVE Expo Hall
- Oct. 11, 7 p.m. – TVE Team Roping event
- Oct. 12 – Livestock Judging
- Oct. 12, 10 a.m. – TVE Baby Parade
- Oct. 13, 2 p.m. – TVE Ranch Rodeo in the TVE Arena
- Oct. 16, 10 a.m. – TVE Opening Day Parade in downtown Liberty
- Oct. 16, 9:30 a.m. – TVE Ranch Rodeo in the TVE Arena
- Oct. 16, 5:30 p.m. – TVE Stick Horse Competition
- Oct. 16, 8 a.m. – TVE Kiddie Trail Ride
- Oct. 17, 6:30 a.m. – Livestock Judging
- Oct. 17, 7:30 p.m. – PRCA Rodeo
- Oct. 17, 5 p.m. – Old Timers’ Reunion
- Oct. 18, 12 p.m. – Youth Livestock Auction
- Oct. 18, 7:30 p.m. – PRCA Rodeo
- Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m. – PRCA Rodeo
For more information on any of the events, go online to http://www.tvefair.com or call 936-336-7455.