Fremont Street set for 11th annual Downtown Hoedown

Thursday, Dec. 4, 1997 | 10:31 a.m.

The Fremont Street Experience is going country as it hosts the 11th annual Downtown Hoedown.

The hoedown, which is the unofficial kickoff party of the National Finals Rodeo, is from 5 to 11 tonight. The public is invited free.

Ricochet, which has won the Academy of Country Music's Top New Vocal Group of the Year Award, will headline the event. Opening for Ricochet is the twin sister duo Moore & Moore and local musician Katie Kern. Downtown casinos will be selling food and drinks on the mall during the event. Prizes from Cowtown Boots will be given away.

About 30,000 visitors and residents attended last year's hoedown, and increased attendance is expected this year.

Every hour on the hour, the Fremont Street Experience's light and sound show will entertain guests with more than 2 million lights and 540,000 watts of sound.

The Hoedown is presented by Las Vegas Events, and Reno Air is the official airline of the hoedown.

New this year, for the 10-day National Finals Rodeo, the Fremont Street Experience and Binion's Horseshoe are hosting the Downtown Rodeo Stampede. Every day there will be live entertainment and Texas Deep Pit Barbecue provided by the hotel. The entertainment is free, the barbecue is $8.

For more information, call 678-5777.