What are the biggest rodeos in Colorado?
The largest rodeo events in Colorado are the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver each January, the Greeley Stampede from late June through the Fourth of July, and the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs in mid-July. The Colorado State Fair in Pueblo, from late August through Labor Day, adds rodeo, livestock shows and concerts.
Before Colorado sold skiing, it raised cattle, sheep and horses, and the events that grew out of that economy remain some of the best-attended in the state.
These are not theme-park versions of the West. The livestock shows are working competitions where ranch families show animals they raised, and the rodeos are sanctioned professional events with real prize money. They are also some of the most family-friendly events on the Colorado calendar, and most are on the Front Range, so altitude is less of an issue than at mountain festivals.
January, Denver
National Western Stock Show
The National Western Stock Show has been held in Denver since 1906, and for about two and a half weeks each January it turns the National Western Complex, north of downtown along Interstate 70, into one of the largest gatherings of the ranching world in the West. The 2027 edition, the 121st, is scheduled for January 9 to 24.
What to expect:
- Rodeos and horse shows most days, including professional rodeo performances, a Mexican rodeo extravaganza and a show celebrating Black cowboys and cowgirls, which have been long-standing parts of the schedule.
- Livestock judging in the barns and yards, where breeders show cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and other animals. Walking the barns is part of the grounds admission and is the best way to understand the event.
- A large trade show of western wear, saddles and ranch equipment.
- A downtown kickoff parade on 17th Street, in which longhorn cattle walk past office towers, has traditionally been held just before opening.
Rodeo seats are ticketed separately from grounds admission and the popular performances sell out. Light rail and buses are the easier way in; the complex sits beside I-70 and parking fills on weekends. Details and schedules at nationalwestern.com.
Summer, Front Range
Greeley Stampede And Pikes Peak Or Bust
Greeley Stampede
The Greeley Stampede is a twelve-day fair and rodeo at Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley, about an hour north of Denver. The 104th Stampede ran June 24 to July 5, 2026, with professional rodeo, a carnival, a parade, a concert series and the Fourth of July fireworks. Concert and rodeo tickets are sold separately; carnival and grounds entry vary by day.
Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo
Colorado Springs' rodeo takes its name from the slogan painted on wagons during the 1858 to 1859 gold rush. It is held at the Norris Penrose Event Center near the Broadmoor neighborhood. The 2026 rodeo ran July 14 to 18, with evening performances Tuesday through Saturday and weekend matinees. Proceeds support military and community charities. See pikespeakorbust.org.
County fairs
Nearly every Colorado county runs a summer fair with 4-H livestock shows, a junior livestock sale and often a small rodeo. They are cheap, friendly and an honest look at rural Colorado. Most run in July and early August; check the county's own website for dates.
Late August to Labor Day, Pueblo
Colorado State Fair
The Colorado State Fair has been held in Pueblo since the 1870s and runs for about eleven days ending on Labor Day. The 2026 fair ran Friday, August 28 through Monday, September 7, at the State Fairgrounds on Beulah Avenue. It combines a carnival midway, livestock and 4-H shows, a professional rodeo, grandstand concerts and a strong Hispanic cultural program that reflects Pueblo's history.
Hours are typically afternoon and evening on weekdays and all day on weekends, and the fair has run a free shuttle from downtown Pueblo. Late August in Pueblo is hot, so evenings are the most comfortable time to visit. For the current year's hours, admission and parking, check coloradostatefair.com.
Plan to eat Pueblo chile while you are there. The fair overlaps the chile harvest, and roasting drums are a fixture.
September, Meeker
Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials
Meeker, a ranch town on the White River in northwest Colorado, hosts one of the country's best-known sheepdog trials. Handlers from across North America and beyond send border collies to gather, drive and pen range sheep over a large course on the edge of town, and the five-day event is a remarkable thing to watch even if you have never seen a sheepdog work.
The 40th anniversary trials ran September 9 to 13, 2026, with a purse and added money totaling $27,000, the Jammin' Lamb Fest on the Saturday, and a Stories in the Sky drone show as part of Colorado's 150th-anniversary year. Meeker is roughly a four-and-a-half to five-hour drive from Denver; many visitors combine it with the Flat Tops Wilderness or the drive along the White River. See meekersheepdog.com.
Etiquette
Rodeo And Livestock Show Etiquette
- Stand for the opening ceremony. Rodeos open with the national anthem and often a flag run; hats come off.
- Ask before touching animals. In the barns, the animals belong to exhibitors, many of them children who have raised them for a year. Ask first, and keep fingers away from mouths.
- Keep dogs at home. Most livestock events do not allow pets other than service animals.
- Respect the arena. Stay behind the rails and out of the chutes, and follow announcer instructions.
For more seasonal events, see the Colorado events calendar and the winter festivals guide.
Common questions
Western Event Questions
When is the National Western Stock Show?
The National Western Stock Show is held every January at the National Western Complex in Denver. The 2027 edition is scheduled for January 9 to 24.
When is the Colorado State Fair?
The Colorado State Fair is held in Pueblo for about eleven days ending on Labor Day. The 2026 fair ran from August 28 through September 7.
What is the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo?
It is Colorado Springs' professional rodeo, held each July at the Norris Penrose Event Center. The 2026 rodeo ran July 14 to 18. Its name comes from the slogan of the 1858 to 1859 gold rush.
Sources
- National Western Stock Showofficial site
- Visit Denver: National Western Stock Show2027 dates
- Hoodline: Greeley Stampede 20262026 dates
- Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo2026 rodeo dates
- Colorado State Fair: plan your visitdates, hours, shuttle
- KOAA: everything to know about the 2026 Colorado State Fair2026 details
- Meeker Classic Sheepdog Championship Trials2026 trials