SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio tradition is seeing some big changes this year.
The annual Cowboys Breakfast has been the unofficial kickoff to the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, but this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic organizers had to cook up something different.
“We had so many people wanting to help out. We had to pick a few to make this event happen,” said said Vice-chairman, Chuck Christian.
Typically, thousands of people would be lining up for the public breakfast in the parking lot of Cowboys Dancehall while watching the preparation. But for 2021, the preparation has moved and will not be open to the public.
“It wouldn’t be safe for the community to put on a free event,” Christian said.
Chefs instead are serving this year’s meals to several non-profits in honor of those who serve the San Antonio community. Roughly 700 tacos will be made and delivered to the local organizations.
The Cowboy Breakfast has also helped raise over $200,000 in scholarships to various non-profits, and $5,000 will be donated to the St. Philip’s Culinary Arts Program.
Ty’aziha Prelow is a culinary student with St. Phillip’s College. She told KSAT she has dreams of opening her own business one day.
Prelow said the donation means she can continue that path.
“People see what we do and it’s not overlooked at all,” she said.
Organizers say that while the event may not be open to the public, they do encourage people to celebrate at home with the hashtag, #CowboyBreakfast2021.