The Ed Hooper Rodeo Grounds in Casa Grande, Arizona, will be the colorful scene of the Casa Grande Cowboy Days & O’odham Tash from Saturday, February 18, through Sunday, February 26, 2017. Cowboys and Indians have been part of the town’s atmosphere for more than 100 years. Attendance is expected to be about 50,000.
The Celebration
Celebrated will be the rich heritage of the Ak-Chin Indian Community, the Tohono O’odham Nation, Salt River Pima, and the Gila River Indian Community with their famous Rodeo, traditional performances and entertainment daily, carnival, games, dances, food, exhibits, arts and crafts, commercial vendors, and tournaments.
Parade
The annual Casa Grande Cowboy Days & O’odham Tash parade will be held on Florence Boulevard in Downtown Casa Grande at 10 a.m. on February 18th. Approximately 7,000 spectators and participants in the past have watched Native American school marching bands and pageant queens.
Other Events
There is a carnival the night before the event. The tournaments and competitions that are part of the Native American culture will include Bull Riding, Calf Roping, Steer Wrestling, Barrel Racing, Softball, and more. The Toka Tournament will be similar to field hockey that has been revived by the Tohono O’odham Nation. It consists of two teams hitting a puck-like object with long mesquite sticks.
A social pow-wow is a tradition consisting of Native Americans doing a 
series of dances initiated with a ceremonial blessing.
Admission
Tickets to the All-Indian Rodeo will be $15.00 each, to the Ranch rodeo will be $10.00 each, with children 12 and under free. Other events will be free, and all proceeds will benefit local organizations.
Tohono O’odham Nation
Tohono O’odham means “Desert People”, and these indigenous Native Americans reside primarily on the Tohono O’odham Nation Indian Reservation in the Sonoran Desert of southern Arizona and northwestern Mexico.
Sponsors and More
The Rodeo sponsors at the Casa Grande Cowboy Days & O’odham Tash will include the Ak-Chin Indian Community, Sunstate Equipment Co., Crescent Crown Distributing, and The City of Casa Grande.
The Cowboy Lifestyle Network, Ak-Chin Indian Community, Earnhardt Auto Centers and Papa John’s Pizza Road Team will be there capturing the events taking place, keeping the heritage of the Western lifestyle alive and well.
