Austin may not be known for its rodeo like some other big Texas cities, but every March, you can visit the rodeo and fairgrounds on the east side of town! And there’s so much to do, it’s worth a visit!
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Where is Rodeo Austin?
Rodeo Austin takes place on the east side of town at the Travis County Exposition Center. The address is 9100 Decker Lake Rd.
What can you do with kids at the Austin rodeo?
There is a ton to do at Rodeo Austin, so you can make a full day of your visit. It’s not all included with admission, though, so you can expect to pay extra to do it all.
Free activities
Animals: You can see the animals in the show barn, which includes longhorns, chicks, goats, sheep, pigs and more.
Petting zoo: The exotic animal petting zoo has free admission. (You have to pay if you want to feed the animals.)
Shows: There are also lots of shows — rope tricks, raptor shows, dog trick shows, pig races and live music. See the schedule here.
Ram truck experience: You can ride in a Ram truck through a rough-terrain obstacle course for free.
HEB tent: Get freebies, photos and lasso a shopping cart in the HEB tent.
Other activities
Carnival rides and games: Buy a wristband (either one you load with money or an unlimited rides wristband) to ride carnival rides and play carnival games. On weekends, the carnival normally opens at 11 am. On weekdays, the carnival normally opens at 4 pm.
Pony rides: Kids can ride a pony (the kind of pony ride that goes in a circle) for $8.
Concerts and rodeo: If you want to see the actual rodeo events or a concert, you have to buy different tickets. Fortunately, those tickets include fairgrounds admission too.
How much does Rodeo Austin cost?
Fairgrounds admission costs $5 to $10. $2 Tuesday ($2 admission) is March 25, 2025.
Parking costs $20.
An unlimited rides wristband is $45. Individual rides cost $4 and up. The rodeo does not recommend buying an unlimited rides wristband for kids 36 inches and shorter, because they won’t be able to ride enough rides to make it worthwhile. If you/your kids will ride more than 10 rides (this includes funhouses, which my kids went through 7 times), the unlimited wristband is worth the money.
Games cost around $10. (Wristbands do not include admission. You have to buy fairgrounds admission and a wristband)
Rodeo and concert tickets can cost anywhere between $30 and $175, depending on the seats and concert. These tickets do include fairgrounds admission (so you don’t need to buy admission separately).
Does Rodeo Austin have a clear bag policy?
No, there are no bag restrictions at Rodeo Austin, although coolers are not allowed.
Is there food at Rodeo Austin?
Yes, the Austin rodeo has lots of fair food: turkey legs, corn dogs, pizza, funnel cakes, frozen lemonade, fries and more. At most booths, you can use your wristband (loaded with money) or a credit card to buy the food.
The HEB tent also has free HEB brand snacks.
When do the rodeo events start?
If you want to see the actual rodeo events each day, you have to go later in the evening most days. The ProRodeo starts at 7 pm every day except Sunday; on Sundays, the rodeo events start at 3 pm.
You’ll see bareback riding, steer wrestling, mutton bustin’, roping, barrel racing, bull riding and more.
The rodeo concerts start around 9 pm (or 5 pm on Sundays).
Are there bathrooms at Rodeo Austin?
The Luedecke Arena (the big building in the middle) does have some bathrooms. You can access them on the backside near the Kids Zone. There are also groups of portapotties located throughout the fairgrounds.
Looking for more Spring Break fun? Try one of these 70 ideas.