When Does the Houston Rodeo Start? 2027 Dates and Daily Times
The 95th Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo starts Tuesday, March 2, 2027 and runs through Sunday, March 21 at Reliant Park. Key dates, daily start times and when the lineup lands.
The 2027 Houston Rodeo starts Tuesday, March 2, 2027 and runs through Sunday, March 21, 2027 at Reliant Park in Houston: 20 days, each with a rodeo and a headline concert at Reliant Stadium (formerly NRG Stadium). The World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest opens the season February 25–27, 2027.
| Opening day | Tuesday, March 2, 2027 |
|---|---|
| Closing day | Sunday, March 21, 2027 |
| Length | 20 days, 20 rodeo-and-concert performances |
| Edition | 95th Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo |
| Bar-B-Que Contest | February 25–27, 2027 |
| Go Texan Day & trail rides | Friday, February 26, 2027 |
| Downtown Rodeo Parade | Saturday, February 27, 2027 |
| Venue | Reliant Stadium and Reliant Park (formerly NRG) |
| Lineup announced | Early January 2027 (January 8 in the 2026 cycle) |
| Single-night tickets | About a week after the lineup (January 15 in 2026) |
Holding 2027 season tickets you can’t use every night? We sell the nights you’ll miss →
What time does the Houston Rodeo start each day?
| Day | Stadium gates | Rodeo starts | Concert (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Weekdays | 6:00 p.m. | 6:45 p.m. | ~9:15 p.m. |
| Weekends | 2:00 p.m. | 2:45 p.m. | ~5:15 p.m. |
These are the 2026 times; RODEOHOUSTON confirms 2027 times with the lineup. In 2026 the grounds opened at 8 a.m. every day after opening day, and the livestock and horse shows started at 8 a.m., so a weekday can be a full day at Reliant Park before the stadium gates open. Concert start times move a little depending on how long the rodeo runs.
Choosing a night by the clock? A 6:45 p.m. weeknight works after work; a 2:45 p.m. weekend show leaves the evening free and suits kids. Every 2027 performance is listed by date on StubHub, or see all 20 dates with a ticket link for each in our 2027 Rodeo schedule. We may earn a commission when you buy through that link, at no extra cost to you.
When does the Houston Rodeo end?
The 2027 run ends Sunday, March 21, 2027 with the RODEOHOUSTON Championship at 2:45 p.m., the last day of the tournament-style Super Series, followed by that day’s headline concert.
The road to opening day
- Early January 2027: lineup reveal. The day each date gets a headliner. In the 2026 cycle it was Thursday, January 8.
- About a week later: single-night tickets. Sold through AXS in waves, with an online waiting room. See when Houston Rodeo tickets go on sale.
- February 25–27, 2027: World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest at Reliant Park, the traditional kickoff.
- Friday, February 26, 2027: Rodeo Roundup & Go Texan Day downtown at Hermann Square, outside City Hall. The trail rides arrive at Memorial Park the same day and camp one final night.
- Saturday, February 27, 2027: Rodeo Run and Downtown Rodeo Parade. The run starts at 9 a.m. and the parade follows at about 10 a.m., led by grand marshal Bob Tallman, the voice of RODEOHOUSTON for 45 years.
- Tuesday, March 2, 2027: opening day. Twenty days of rodeo and concerts follow.
RODEOHOUSTON announced the 2027 kickoff events on October 6, 2026. Registration for the Rodeo Run opens Sunday, November 15.
Picking your day
Every performance is a full rodeo plus a concert, so the real choice is the headliner and the day of the week. Weekend performances start in the afternoon and suit families; weekday performances start after work. The 2027 special days are already set: Black Heritage Day is Friday, March 5, First Responders Day is Monday, March 8, and Go Tejano Day is Sunday, March 14. Go Tejano Day has historically been one of the biggest-demand performances of the run. Our 2027 Houston Rodeo schedule maps all 20 nights, the seating chart covers where to sit, and the Reliant Park map covers parking and gates.
Season ticket holders: mark early January, not March
For a season ticket holder, the date that matters most is not opening day. It is the lineup reveal in early January, because that is when you learn which of your 20 nights you will skip, and the week single-night tickets sell out is when resale demand wakes up. Get the nights you won’t use to us then. We price each night by hand, list it on every major marketplace at once, and pay you every Friday. Our 20% commission applies only when a night sells, and a season ticket holder’s first sale with us is commission-free.
Next: the lineup-day seller playbook and what Houston Rodeo tickets sell for.
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Frequently asked questions
When does the Houston Rodeo start in 2027?
Tuesday, March 2, 2027. The 2027 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs through Sunday, March 21, 2027 at Reliant Park.
When does the 2027 Houston Rodeo end?
Sunday, March 21, 2027, the closing day of the 20-day run.
What time does the Houston Rodeo start?
In 2026, weekday rodeos started at 6:45 p.m. with the concert around 9:15 p.m., and weekend rodeos started at 2:45 p.m. with the concert around 5:15 p.m. RODEOHOUSTON confirms 2027 times with the lineup.
How long is the Houston Rodeo?
Twenty days in 2027, March 2 to March 21, with a rodeo and a headline concert every day. The Bar-B-Que Contest runs before it, February 25–27.
When are the 2027 Houston Rodeo parade and trail rides?
The trail rides arrive at Memorial Park on Friday, February 26, 2027, the same day as Rodeo Roundup & Go Texan Day downtown. The Downtown Rodeo Parade starts at about 10 a.m. on Saturday, February 27, right after the Rodeo Run, with longtime Rodeo announcer Bob Tallman as grand marshal.
When is the 2027 Houston Rodeo Bar-B-Que Contest?
The World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest runs Thursday through Saturday, February 25–27, 2027, at Reliant Park, the week before the Rodeo opens. In 2026 a contest ticket was $30 for adults and $10 for kids 3–12 and covered the grounds, the live music areas, carnival admission (rides extra) and a brisket and sausage plate. The private team tents are invitation-only.
What is the best day to go to the Houston Rodeo?
It depends on what you want. Weekend performances start in the afternoon (2:45 p.m. in 2026) and suit families; weeknights start at 6:45 p.m. Wednesdays bring discounted rides, games and food, and on Community Day, Wednesday, March 10, the park is free until noon. Active-duty military, spouses of deployed members and veterans get free park admission on Wednesday, March 3, and first responders get free grounds admission on Monday, March 8, each with four family members. For the biggest crowd and atmosphere, pick a headliner weekend or Go Tejano Day (Sunday, March 14); for the lightest crowds, an early-week night.
How early should I get to the Houston Rodeo?
Stadium gates opened 45 minutes before the rodeo in 2026: 6:00 p.m. on weekdays and 2:00 p.m. on weekends. To see the whole rodeo, be in your seat by the start. If you are there for the concert, it begins about two and a half hours after the rodeo starts. The grounds, carnival and livestock show open much earlier, so plenty of people make a day of it.
How long does the Houston Rodeo show last?
The rodeo runs about two and a half hours before the concert starts (6:45 to about 9:15 p.m. on 2026 weeknights), and the headline concert follows on the Star Stage. RODEOHOUSTON confirms 2027 times with the lineup.
When is the 2027 Houston Rodeo lineup announced?
Early January 2027. The 2026 lineup was announced on Thursday, January 8, 2026, and single-night tickets went on sale a week later.
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