Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, branded RODEOHOUSTON, is the largest livestock show and rodeo in the world and the city's biggest party. For about three weeks each March, NRG Park in the south of the city fills with cowboys, cattle, carnival rides and millions of visitors, and the whole city dresses the part in boots and hats. The 2027 rodeo runs March 2 through 21. Each day's main event takes place inside NRG Stadium, home of the Houston Texans: an afternoon or evening of professional rodeo competition — bull riding, bareback and saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, tie-down roping and more — followed by a full concert on a revolving stage, with lineups that run from country superstars to Tejano, pop, rock and Latin acts. One stadium ticket covers both the rodeo and that day's concert. Around the stadium, the grounds hold the livestock show, horse shows and auctions, where young exhibitors from across Texas compete; a big carnival; the Ranching and Wildlife Expo; the Champion Wine Garden; children's areas; and plenty of fried food. The event traditionally kicks off with the World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, a weekend of barbecue teams and parties on the grounds just before opening day, expected in late February for 2027, and with a downtown parade, for which veteran rodeo announcer Bob Tallman has been named 2027 grand marshal. Trail riders ride in from across Texas for the start. Tickets are sold through the rodeo's official ticketing partner in waves, and the entertainer lineup is announced in the new year; popular nights sell out quickly. Proceeds support scholarships and youth education, a point of pride for the volunteers who run it.

Plan your visit around the concert you want and buy as soon as tickets go on sale; resale is available through the official partner but prices climb for the biggest names. A stadium ticket gets you onto the grounds for the day, so arrive early, see the livestock barns and the carnival, eat something deep-fried, and head into the stadium for the rodeo. Seats high in the stadium are fine for the concert, which plays on a central rotating stage, but lower levels are better for the rodeo action.

Getting there: NRG Park is south of the Museum District, and the METRORail Red Line runs to the stadium, which is the easiest way to avoid the traffic and parking fees. Rideshare drop-off zones are busy at the end of the night. Wear comfortable boots — you will walk a lot — and dress for unpredictable March weather, which can swing from chilly to hot in a week.

If your visit falls outside March, NRG Stadium hosts Texans football in the fall and major concerts and events through the year; it was also a venue for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. For a taste of the rodeo spirit at other times, the Astros ballpark tours and Houston's honky-tonks and barbecue joints will have to do — but if you can time a trip for rodeo season, it is the most Houston experience there is. Budget for food and the carnival on top of your stadium ticket, and set a meeting point with your group, since phone signals can struggle in the crowds. Bags are restricted inside the stadium, so check the rules before you go. If tickets for your chosen concert sell out, a ticket for a less popular night still gets you the full rodeo, the grounds and a live show, and many visitors find the rodeo competition itself the most memorable part of the day.