Bastrop Homecoming bonds community, draws tourists

Photos and Article By Terry Hagerty – Contributing Writer

Bastrop’s 78th Annual Homecoming and Rodeo on July 29-August 2 is a centerpiece for the city’s bustling summer-events scene. Lori Chapman, treasurer of the Homecoming Committee, said the success of the event over the years has much to do with the hard-working volunteers, who are overseen by the committee. “We’ve had as many as 150 volunteers some years for homecoming. The volunteer list is pretty big,” Chapman said. “With a bigger city and government over the years, there’s also a lot more to do now. The Homecoming Committee meets all year ‘round – except we take off in September.” Bastrop’s Homecoming has a long, proud history and is well-known, Chapman said. “People that travel to Texas this time of year, including international travelers, want to see a real rodeo,” Chapman said. “You’ll have international travelers coming into Houston and Austin, and they’ll find out from travel agencies things going on in the Houston and Austin areas – and Bastrop’s Homecoming is one of those events. We’ve had people that came to our rodeo as children, and they continue to come back for the rodeo and to visit Bastrop again.” The class reunions of Bastrop High School also remain a strong draw. Chapman is one of those returning alumni. “As an adult, having a chance to see people I went to Bastrop High School with is enjoyable,” Chapman said. “We were a graduating class of 100 people and everyone you knew from your freshman year to senior year – you were friends with. It’s one of the reasons to come back to Bastrop to visit.

Bastropian Reflects on Homecoming

Judge Clinton Eskew, a Bastrop native and County Court at Law judge, and Bastrop High School Class of 1980 alum, said Homecoming is a centerpiece for the community and a definite tourist draw. “Growing up here, Homecoming was always the one central event of the year,” Eskew said. “We always looked forward to seeing people come back for the dances, the rodeo, the parade and reunions. I was recently reading old Bastrop Advertisers online, and for weeks and weeks beforehand the Advertiser would be building up Homecoming with articles.” Eskew said he’s looking forward to his 45th class reunion. “We didn’t have one for our 40th year because of Covid, so this will be our 45th reunion,” Eskew said. Eskew said Homecoming was also intended to boost business when it got its start after World War II. “That was the original reason. The summer was sort of a dry time of year, and with the heat. Homecoming was intended to bring people back and draw visitors to the town and give a boost for the businesses,” Eskew said. (Additional BHS Class reunions are slated for the Classes of 1985, 1990, 2005, and 2010.)

Homecoming’s History

Bastrop’s Homecoming originated in the aftermath of World War II. “During World War II, business boomed in Bastrop as 90,000 military men were based at Camp Swift a few miles north of town,” according to Homecoming’s website –bastrophomecomingrodeo.org. When the war ended and the camp essentially closed, local business lessened. As an attempt to give the city a boost, civic leaders created the first Homecoming Jubilee for area residents and to entice former residents – including soldiers and families who spent time here during the war, to “come home” for the festivities. Past celebrations took place in various months, May-August, and some events included fishing-boat races from Montopolis Bridge in Austin to the boat docks in Fisherman’s Park. There were also beauty pageants, arts and crafts shows, kiddie/pet parades, canoe races and dances at the American Legion Hall.

‘Washers and Mutton-Busting’

Besides the adult-competition events like bull and bronc riding, and calf roping, youth love to participate in the “mutton-busting” competition at the rodeo arena, Chapman said. “It’s an absolutely popular event for the kids and fun for the crowd to watch. Those kids, four to eight years old, are doing their best to hang onto the sheep. And the sheep come out zigging and zagging trying their best to get rid of the kids on their backs. The sheep are rodeo-stock sheep just like the bulls and horses, they are trained for competition. It’s safe for the kids – they are required to wear helmets. Our rodeo contractor runs and coordinates all those events. He’s local. We try to use local people all the time.” Chapman also spoke of the camaraderie of such events as the washer toss. “Washers is a sport where you are also communicating with other people, like baseball,” Chapman said. “It’s a group dynamic, the fun of just being with other people. Having a beer while pitching washers, it’s a huge part of our Homecoming.” The event is named the Mike Mathison Memorial Horseshoe and Washer Tournament. The David A. Moore II Memorial Cornhole Tournament is also a strong draw. Besides the parade (Saturday, Aug. 2, at 10 a.m.) and the rodeo competition events (Tuesday-Saturday, July 29-Aug.2), there will be a Bastrop High School Hall of Fame Induction and 4-H Cake Auction. (See bastrophomecomingrodeo.org for a full schedule of events and contact information.)

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