Rodeo Week is a community effort, mayor says

Nothing pulls the community together like rodeo week, says St. Paul mayor Maureen Miller, and it goes well beyond the spectacle of the rodeo itself.

“The pulling together of all of the volunteers to make the rodeo a success in the community is ultimately a win for everybody,” Miller said. “I’m always so humbled by how many people come forward to make this work.”

The week began with a kickoff party on Saturday, August 26, and rolled right on into the long weekend. “It’s a fun weekend all around. There’s never a dull moment in the whole weekend, always exciting things for the family to do,” Miller said.

“As for the rodeo itself, showcasing our community is always a wonderful opportunity — not just for the weekend, but for the opportunity of people coming back to the community. I also believe the financial hit back to the community is an amazing contribution that the Ag Society brings together.”

Yvonne Weinmeier, executive director of the St. Paul and District Chamber of Commerce, says the influx of rodeo fans is a boon for the local economy. She says when local businesses can step up and serve such large numbers of visitors, it helps to reinforce the idea among St. Paul residents that local business is important.

“That is huge,” Weinmeier said. “It’s tough to encourage people to shop local when they might be able to get a better deal somewhere else. But the constant reminder that I have is the money spent in your community stays in your community. 

“We’re proud of the Ag Society for all the work they do to bring this event to town. It’s huge for our businesses,” she said. 

“It’s a really good eye opener for our residents and our local consumers to remember to support local, that these businesses are putting a light out for our community. It helps keep that money in the community for sure, and it keeps our activities rolling strong.”

Miller said the community spirit extends from the many Ag Society volunteers all the way out to the many nonprofits who pitch in the make Rodeo Week work.

“I don’t know how many volunteer hours, I don’t know if they even add them up,” Miller said. “But it is impressive that a community of our size can host an event of that calibre. It is truly remarkable and it cannot be done without every volunteer.”