Thirsty Horse
The days of sighting real working cowboys outfitted in western wear have nearly faded from the city streets of San Antonio (insert sad sigh). But that doesn’t mean you can’t find authentic western dance halls playing country music where two-step and line dancing are alive and well.
All the dance halls featured in this story offer free dance lessons at least one night a week, and all are open five nights a week for authentic western fun on the dance floor. Cowboys DanceHall brings the smalltown cowboy culture to life in the big city. It’s a sprawling, split-level space that seems as big as Texas, with a huge bar area – featuring – count ‘em – nine bars – including a tequila bar! It’s hard to stay thirsty here. There’s a rodeo ring, with real rodeo action during Professional Bull Riding season and other events the rest of the year. Try your hand on a mechanical bull for a wild ride complete with bragging rights. Special
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concerts nights are regularly featured. This month Tyler Farr will play July 7, and Mike Ryan will rock the big country house July 20. Dancing is what dance halls are all about, so swing onto the dance floor and groove to the music. Enjoy either the live house band, Marty Heddin & the Country Blues, or DJ-driven tunes that run the gamut from pure country to rock and roll and Tejano nights when you can cumbia your heart out to the Latin beat. At Cowboys, dance lessons are offered two nights – Wednesday and Friday, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Every Sunday in July is Teen Night when 13 to 19-year-olds can get in on the fun from 6 to 11 p.m.
Cowboys
Midnight Rodeo is an iconic destination for serious boot-scooters for more than 35 years now. With its patented “race track” dance floor configured for easy movement, this 25,000-square foot space is a hot destination for the cool cowboy crowd. Check the website for special concerts, live music on “Classic Country” Wednesdays, and a super-popular house DJ spinning the country hits. And yes, there are dance lessons Wednesdays and Fridays from 7 to 8 PM. Are you looking for something wild? Wild West is the newest dance hall on the block. It’s a modern kind of honky-tonk, catering to a lively crowd.
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