The party is starting even earlier this year.
Farmhouse Rodeo 2013, Friday, Oct. 11, at the outdoor arena by Good Ol' Boys, will open its gates at 3 p.m., two hours earlier than previous years to make time for the country music acts.
Whiskey River Band will start at 4:30 p.m., followed by Blane Rudd Band at 8 p.m. and Dustin Lynch, the main performer, at 9:30 p.m.
Patrick Bonovitch, Farmhouse fraternity's executive vice president and philanthropy chair, said three food vendors, including a hot dog stand, barbecue stand and Momma G's, will be at the event.
All proceeds from the event go to Farmhouse's philanthropy, Storybrook Farm, a non-profit organization helping children with life-threatening illnesses and special needs through animal therapy.
"Storybrook Farm has the same ideas and morals as Farmhouse does," said Justin Matthews, Farmhouse philanthropy chair.
Last year, Farmhouse raised approximately $2,000-3,000 for Storybrook Farm, but Bonovitch said Farmhouse would like to raise closer to $5,000-10,000 this year.
To get more Greek Life involvement, there will be a fraternity and sorority competition at the rodeo this year.
"There's a prize for the winner and the sorority that buys the most tickets gets a free tailgate with us for the Iron Bowl," Bonovitch said. "The [fraternity] competition is each fraternity has teams and you do bull riding and bronco riding, a horse chase and steer wrestling. We'll have a judge out there to determine who wins."
Farmhouse's marketing strategies have also changed from the past.
"We're selling tickets earlier, and we're having more radio and using television ads, which we've never done before," Matthews said. "We're trying to surpass the numbers from last year. Everything we did last year, we just want to make it bigger."
Approximately 3,000 people attended last year's event, but Bonovitch said with the new marketing techniques he hopes approximately 4,000-5,000 tickets will be sold this year.
Chelsea Crawford, junior in organismal biology, said she went to the rodeo a couple years ago, but was not impressed.
"I went the year Casey Donahew Band was there and it didn't hold my attention for very long," Crawford said. "I'm excited for more bands to play this year, though."
T-shirts will be sold for $15, but a combo of a T-shirt and a ticket is $25.
Farmhouse will have tables set up on the Haley and Science Center Concourses until Friday, Oct. 11. Tickets for $15 per person can also be bought at FHRodeo.com.
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