Before the bucking broncs and roaring crowds, it takes months of planning to get the Augusta Rodeo up and running.
Aneesa Coomer reports from Augusta - watch:
Before the gates open and the broncs buck, Augusta is hard at work preparing for one of its most beloved traditions—the 88th annual Augusta Rodeo.
Months before a single rider enters the arena, volunteers are already putting in long hours behind the scenes.
Around 15 local volunteers spend the spring and early summer months tackling everything from arena prep to repainting signs and repairing bleachers. Then, on rodeo day, another 30 volunteers step in to help with ticketing, parking, and food.
“This rodeo never stops being prepared for,” said Bill Schrader, finance officer for the Augusta American Legion, which owns and maintains the rodeo grounds, “As soon as this one's over, we're planning for the next one . The community of August is a pretty strong community and we all like to support it. So I think, you know, the volunteerism comes fairly easy for most people.”
This year, the team completed a three-year project to update an older section of bleachers, just in time for this year’s event.
The rodeo costs around $50,000 to $60,000 to produce each year, and when adding in maintenance costs, the event itself doesn’t generate much profit. Funding comes from sponsors and local businesses, as well as ticket sales.
Schrader says, “Maintaining the rodeo grounds is fairly expensive, so there's no huge money made here.”
While the rodeo itself isn’t a major moneymaker, its value to the community is hard to measure. Local businesses see some of their biggest days of the year during the event, as thousands of visitors flood the town.
Schrader explains, “It’s probably one of the biggest financial days for the whole town. The bars and the stores, and then just the goodwill that we accumulate for the reputation of Augusta in general brings business to this town year round.”
Beyond the rodeo arena, the entire town gets involved in preparation. Residents and business owners help clean up sidewalks, hang rodeo banners, and welcome a growing stream of visitors with food trucks, live music, and a parade.
Tia Troy, who owns the Lightning Bug, a local coffee shop and boutique, as well as a volunteer with the rodeo committee, explains, “Here at Lightning Bug Coffee Shop, we're making sure we have supplies, clothes for the weekend, we have enough coffee to keep everybody going. And then all of our bars have preps to make sure that they have enough food, that they have enough adult beverages for the people who are coming in. Same thing with the grocery store, the motel down the street, everybody. So it's really an event that takes some time and some prep work because we want to be as ready as possible.”
Even the less glamorous logistics are thoughtfully planned. Crews set up portable toilets throughout the weekend, ensuring the town of just 300 is ready to accommodate thousands.
Suzette van den Bos, who co-owns port-a-potty business Rootin’ Tootin’ Poopers with her husband, is placing ten units around town ahead of this weekend. She explains, “With the amount of people that visit this town throughout the weekend, we've added a few extra potties to accommodate, to prevent the overflow of the businesses and their restrooms.”
As the countdown to rodeo day continues, the finishing touches are falling into place. With a strong volunteer base, a deep sense of local pride, and nearly nine decades of tradition behind it, Augusta is once again ready to ride.
Rodeo weekend runs from Friday, June 27, through Sunday, June 29. Click here to visit the website.
