YAHOOOOOO!!! It's rodeo time

August 20, 7:43 AMChicago Gay ExaminerMichael Lehet

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Photo Credit:  Evan Butterfield (Flickr)

ATTENTION ALL COWBOYS!!  Grab your 501's, your boots and your hat, the rodeo is coming to town!

This weekend, August 22-24 the Illinois Gay Rodeo Association will once again present The Windy City Rodeo in Crete, IL.

The Illinois Gay Rodeo Association is a not-for-profit association that raises money for local charities through the performance of an annual amateur rodeo. ILGRA is a member of the International Gay Rodeo Association (IGRA).

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Here's a schedule of the events:

Thursday, August 21
For the early arrivers and locals we have the FAHOOTCHED! Bar Crawl. This annual event kicks off from Charlie's at 7PM and takes you on a whirlwind tour of the local sponsor bars.

Friday, August 22
Welcome Party at Club Krave (formerly The Edge), 9PM-2AM

Saturday, August 23
Windy City Rodeo - Six Guns Ranch and Arena
Rodeo Slack Events, 11AM (if needed)
Grand Entry, Noon
Performance of the Rodeo, 1PM-5PM
Dancing/Entertainment, 1PM-7PM

ILGRA does not plan an organized event on Saturday night. They would rather that you go enjoy the nightlife that Chicago has to offer and support the business that sponsor the rodeo.

Sunday, August 24
Windy City Rodeo - Six Guns Ranch and Arena
Rodeo Slack Events, 11AM (if needed)
Grand Entry, Noon
Performance of the Rodeo, 12:30PM-5PM
Dancing/Entertainment, 12:30PM-7PM

Rodeo Awards Ceremony, Doubletree-Alsip, 9PM

Meet the Champions Party, Club Krave, 10PM-2AM

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Every year the popularity of the Rodeo increases, even though it's in Crete, IL they make it very easy for the Urban Gay to get all gussied up and spend a day or two at the rodeo. 

For the past few years they've been running shuttle buses ($25 gets you there and on the grounds) to and from the event!  You just need to bring more money for beer and shopping - who knows you might find that perfect new hat, shirt or perhaps even rope yourself a bucking bull!

Oh so wait, you want to know about the rodeo.....it's hot guys in tight pants chasing animals around (four-legged and two-legged) and trying to get a rope around them.  'Nuf said!

Seriously though, they have the full rodeo experience including the Grand Parade that kicks it all of to bareback bronc riding.  They have live entertainment, a full concessions area and a great vendor area that sells t-shirts, hats, belt buckles and anything else cowboy that you could think of (and actually a few more than you could even imgaine), and oh yeah - there's booze!

For a full listing of how to get there, check out the Windy City Rodeo page