The phrase “when does the rodeo start” can refer to many different events, and there’s no single universal answer without knowing which rodeo and which city or state you mean.

Here are a few 2026 examples to show how much it varies by event and location:

  • Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo (Houston, TX) – The 2026 rodeo event is scheduled from March 2 to March 22, 2026.
  • Rodeo Austin (Austin, TX) – The 2026 event runs daily from March 13 to March 28, 2026.
  • San Diego Rodeo (San Diego, CA) – The 2026 dates listed are January 16–18, 2026.

Because there are hundreds of local and regional rodeos with different start dates, the only way to know exactly “when the rodeo starts” for you is:

  1. Identify the specific rodeo (for example: “Houston rodeo,” “Rodeo Austin,” your local county fair rodeo).
  1. Check the official website or a reputable rodeo calendar for that event’s 2026 schedule.

If you tell me which rodeo (city and name, if you know it), I can narrow it down to the exact start date and typical start time (gates open vs. main performance).