Houston Rodeo Guide: Tickets, Parking and First-Timer Tips

At a glance

• Where: Reliant Park (formerly NRG Park), South Loop at Kirby Dr. and Main St.
• When: About three weeks each March; 2027 show runs March 2–21
• Tickets: Grounds ticket or rodeo/concert ticket via rodeohouston.com, the official app or on-site booths; check the official site for prices
• Getting there: METRORail Red Line to Stadium Park/Astrodome or Fannin South
• Parking: Official cashless lots plus park & ride; check the official site for rates
• Time needed: A full afternoon and evening for grounds plus rodeo and concert

For three weeks every late winter, Houston puts on boots. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo takes over the stadium complex on the South Loop with pro rodeo, a headline concert every night, a carnival midway, acres of livestock barns and a barbecue cook-off that tens of thousands of people plan their year around. It is the city's biggest annual event, and the first visit can feel like a lot.

This guide is built for that first visit: what the show actually is, how tickets work, how to get there without losing an hour in traffic, and what to do once you're through the gate.

What the Houston Rodeo is

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is a nonprofit that started in 1931 as the Houston Fat Stock Show and Livestock Exposition and held its first show in 1932. It has grown from a regional cattle event into a multi-week festival, but the core mission hasn't changed: the money raised goes to Texas youth and education. The organization reports more than $660 million committed to scholarships and educational programs since 1932.

That mission is why so much of the grounds is about agriculture. Thousands of 4-H and FFA students show cattle, hogs, sheep, goats and more, and the junior market auctions, where buyers bid on student-raised animals, are among the most important days of the show for the families involved.

The show has moved several times: from the Sam Houston Coliseum to the Astrodome in 1966, and to its current home in the early 2000s. That complex was long known as NRG Park and returned to the Reliant name (Reliant Park, Reliant Stadium, Reliant Center and Reliant Arena) in 2026. You'll still hear locals call it NRG for years.

This year's dates

The 2027 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs March 2 to 21, 2027, at Reliant Park, according to rodeohouston.com.

The kickoff events come the week before:

• World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest: February 25 to 27, 2027 (Thursday evening, then Friday and Saturday)
• Go Texan Day and Rodeo Roundup: Friday, February 26, 2027

The official site also lists the trail ride arrivals, the Downtown Rodeo Parade and the Rodeo Run. Those dates get confirmed closer to the show, so check the official calendar. The nightly concert lineup is announced separately ahead of each season.

In most years the show follows the same pattern: the cook-off and Go Texan Day in the last week of February, then about three weeks of rodeo running through most of March.

Tickets: what to buy and where

The show sells a few kinds of tickets, and first-timers often buy the wrong one. Here's how they differ:

• Grounds ticket: Single-day entry to everything outside the stadium, including the livestock barns, exhibits, carnival midway (rides and games cost extra), shopping, food and the free stages. It does not get you into the stadium for the rodeo and concert.
• Rodeo/concert ticket: Everything a grounds ticket covers, plus your seat in the stadium for that day's rodeo performance and the concert that follows. If you want to see the rodeo, this is the ticket you need, and you don't have to buy a separate grounds ticket.
• Grounds season pass: Repeat admission to the grounds for the whole run, including the Bar-B-Que Contest. Worth it if you'll go more than a couple of times.
• Season tickets: A reserved stadium seat for every performance. These go on sale months ahead, usually the summer before.

Children under 2 get in free with every ticket type. The show also runs Family Wednesday on selected Wednesdays, with free grounds admission until noon for seniors 60 and over and children 12 and under. Check the tickets page for which Wednesdays qualify.

Buy only from official sources. That means rodeohouston.com, the official RODEOHOUSTON mobile app (both run through AXS) and the show's own ticket booths. The show warns that it isn't responsible for tickets bought from unauthorized sellers. Popular concert nights sell out fast, and resale scams turn up every season.

Prices change every year and vary by seat and performance, so check the official site rather than trusting a number you saw online. Online sales close in the evening and on-site booths a little later, so don't count on buying a stadium ticket at the last minute.

Getting there: rail, parking and park & ride

Reliant Park is on the South Loop (I-610) between Kirby Drive and Main Street. On a busy weekend, how you get there matters as much as when you go.

METRORail (our pick)

The METRORail Red Line runs from downtown and Midtown down Main Street and Fannin, past the Museum District and Medical Center, to the stadium complex. The Stadium Park/Astrodome and Fannin South stations both serve the grounds. Trains run late on rodeo nights, and you skip parking completely. Fares are cheap: check METRO for the current fare and pay with the METRO Q fare card or the METRO app. For lines and fares, see our METRO Houston guide.

Parking on site

The show runs its own lots next to the grounds, and all of them are cashless. Expect a flat daily rate per car. The Yellow Lot off Main Street is within walking distance, and the 610 Lot off West Bellfort is served by trams. Volunteers run free trams between the lots and the main buildings, which helps with tired kids at 11 p.m.

Lots fill on weekends and big concert nights. If you're driving, get there early or use a satellite lot.

Park & ride

On busy days, a park & ride lot is often the least stressful option. The show and METRO run satellite lots with shuttle buses or train connections to the grounds. Fannin South, at the end of the Red Line, is the simplest: park there and ride the train one stop. Locations, prices and last-bus times change from year to year, so check the parking and transportation page the week you go.

Rideshare and drop-off

There's a designated rideshare and taxi drop-off zone off Main Street. Leaving after a sold-out concert is the hardest part of the night, so pick a meeting spot near the drop-off zone ahead of time, or walk to the train.

What to expect on the grounds

The rodeo and the concert

The stadium show is a two-part evening (with daytime shows on some days). First comes the rodeo: bareback riding, tie-down roping, breakaway roping, team roping, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing and bull riding. RODEOHOUSTON runs it as a tournament. Riders compete in three-day series, and the best advance through semifinals and wild-card rounds to the championship on the final weekend.

After the rodeo, the stage rolls out onto the stadium floor and that night's headliner plays. Country is the backbone, but most seasons also book Latin, pop, rap and rock acts. The show also has a long Tejano tradition; see our Go Tejano Day history.

The carnival

The carnival midway is the bright, loud part of the grounds, with a giant Ferris wheel, thrill rides and games. Younger kids have their own area with gentler rides. Rides and games are paid for with carnival tickets bought on site, and the show sells discounted ride packs ahead of time through its site and app. There are no unlimited-ride wristbands. Our carnival ride cost guide breaks down how the ticket system works.

Livestock, AGVENTURE and the barns

Don't skip the buildings. Reliant Center houses the livestock show and AGVENTURE, an agriculture exhibit with live animals, a birthing center where you might see a calf or piglet born, and breed displays. It's the most "Houston Rodeo" thing on the grounds and a big hit with kids. If your visit lines up with a junior market auction, stop in. The bidding is fast, and the money goes to students.

The World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest

The cook-off kicks off the season the week before the rodeo opens, with more than 250 teams competing in brisket, ribs, chicken and other categories. Most team tents are invitation-only, so a general ticket won't get you into the private parties. What it does get you into is the public side: live music at The Garden stage, the Rockin' Bar-B-Que Saloon, carnival entry (rides extra) and a free plate of brisket, beans and chips from the Chuckwagon. If a friend gets you a tent pass, you still need a cook-off ticket to enter.

Go Texan Day

Go Texan Day is the unofficial start of rodeo season. It falls on the Friday before the show opens, and Houstonians wear jeans, boots and hats to work and school. The free Rodeo Roundup at City Hall's Hermann Square downtown usually includes music, free barbecue sandwiches and a Texas Longhorn photo op.

Trail rides and the parade

Trail rides date to 1952, when the first one left Brenham. Every year, groups of riders and wagons travel from across Texas and converge on Memorial Park on the Friday before the show. The next morning, many of them ride through downtown in the Downtown Rodeo Parade. Both are free to watch. If you've never seen wagons rolling past downtown towers, go once.

Tips for first-timers

1. Decide what you came for. Grounds only, or rodeo plus concert? That decides your ticket. For a first visit with the full experience, buy the rodeo/concert ticket and arrive early in the afternoon to see the grounds first.
2. Wear real shoes. You'll walk miles between the lots, barns, carnival and stadium. Boots are traditional. Broken-in boots are smart.
3. Bring a card. Parking, ticket booths and the stadium are cashless. Most food stands and the carnival take cards, but a little cash doesn't hurt.
4. Check the prohibited-items list. There's no clear-bag rule and small bags and backpacks are allowed, but outside alcohol, selfie sticks, air horns, large camera lenses, weapons and the like are banned. See the guest experience page.
5. Dress in layers. Late winter in Houston can mean a cold front in the morning and humid 80s by afternoon. Check the Houston weather before you go.
6. Go on a weekday for shorter lines. Weekends and spring-break days are the busiest. Family Wednesdays are popular with families with young kids.
7. Stay for the barns. Most people go straight to the carnival. The livestock halls are calmer, free with your ticket and the part of the show you can't get anywhere else.
8. Plan your exit. After a sold-out concert, thousands of people leave at once. The train or a park & ride shuttle is usually faster than a lot near the stadium.

For a longer list of practical tips from past seasons, read our Houston Rodeo survival guide.

Rodeo food

Half the reason people come is to eat. The midway and food courts are full of classic fair food: giant turkey legs, corn dogs, funnel cakes, anything you can deep-fry, plus barbecue, Tex-Mex and sweet tea by the gallon. New fried creations show up every year. The show sells prepaid food cards through its site and app, which make a good gift for kids or out-of-town guests.

For a sit-down break, the grounds have a Western-style steakhouse, the 1932 Cattleman's Club, and the Champion Wine Garden, which pours more than 75 award-winning wines alongside live music. Remember that you can't bring alcohol in from outside.

If you'd rather eat before or after, the Red Line puts you a few stops from the restaurants in Midtown and downtown. And if the cook-off left you wanting more brisket, our best BBQ in Houston guide covers the year-round pitmasters.

Staying overnight

Coming in from out of town? Staying near the Red Line, downtown, in Midtown or by the Medical Center lets you ride straight to the gate. See our Houston hotels by neighborhood guide, and browse more seasonal events on our Houston festivals page.

Last verified: October 2026.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Houston Rodeo in 2027?

The 2027 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs March 2–21, 2027. The World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest is February 25–27, 2027, and Go Texan Day is Friday, February 26.

Does a rodeo/concert ticket include grounds admission?

Yes. A rodeo/concert ticket covers everything a grounds ticket does plus your seat in the stadium for that day's rodeo and concert. A grounds-only ticket does not get you into the stadium.

Where should I buy Houston Rodeo tickets?

Only from official sources: rodeohouston.com, the official RODEOHOUSTON app and the show's on-site ticket booths. The show isn't responsible for tickets bought from unauthorized sellers.

What is the best way to get to the Houston Rodeo?

METRORail's Red Line stops at Stadium Park/Astrodome and Fannin South, both serving the grounds. Official on-site lots and park & ride lots are also available; all official lots are cashless.

Is there a clear bag policy at the Houston Rodeo?

No. The show does not have a clear bag policy. Small purses, backpacks, strollers and wagons are allowed, but items like outside alcohol, selfie sticks, air horns and weapons are prohibited.

Can anyone go to the Houston Rodeo BBQ cook-off?

Yes, with a cook-off ticket. It includes The Garden stage concerts, the saloon, carnival entry and a free brisket plate. Most team tents are invitation-only.