Houston Rodeo tightens security with strict bag checks and bans for 2025
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has released its security rules for this year's main event. Visitors will face bag checks and metal-detector screenings before entering the grounds. The event, which draws millions annually, has strict guidelines on what guests can bring inside.
All attendees must pass through a security screening at the gate. Staff will use wands and inspect bags to ensure compliance with the rules. Bags larger than 24"x15"x18" are not permitted, though clear bags are not mandatory.
Prohibited items include weapons of any kind, such as firearms, air guns, and paintball guns. Legal pocketknives remain allowed. Other banned items cover noisemakers, bicycles, drones, fireworks, selfie sticks, and drugs. Clothing deemed obscene, inappropriate, or offensive is also forbidden. Sealed packages that cannot be inspected—like wrapped gifts—will not be permitted.
Guests may bring their own food and nonalcoholic drinks onto the grounds, but these items cannot enter NRG Stadium unless for medical needs or young children. Smoking, vaping, and e-cigarettes are banned in buildings and public areas under city laws. Only service animals and livestock registered for competitions are allowed on-site.
Prohibited items cannot be stored in lockers or left with staff. The event has averaged around 2.3 million visitors yearly over the past five years, with attendance peaking at 2.6 million in 2023.
The rules aim to maintain safety and order during the main event. Visitors are advised to check the guidelines before arriving to avoid delays. Those who bring banned items will have to dispose of them or leave them outside the venue.
