Must-See Concerts During the 2023 NFR

Each December, Las Vegas hosts the biggest names in the sport of rodeo; but the city also has so much more to offer throughout those two weeks, especially as far as the music scene goes! The 65th Annual Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) will officially kick off December 7 and run through December 16 at the Thomas & Mack Center with performances starting at 5:45 p.m. PDT each night. If you’re making the trip to experience Vegas as a cowboy town, be sure to check out the entertainment schedule as well. There are concerts every single day that you won’t want to miss!

Starting the first week of December before the NFR begins, Garth Brooks, Carrie Underwood, and Miranda Lambert will begin performing, and they will have shows throughout the entirety of the event. You can catch Garth at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Carrie at Resorts World Theatre at Resorts World, and Miranda at Bakkt Theater at Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino.

Official Wrangler NFR Watch Party

Cowboy Lifestyle Network has teamed up with Wrangler and they are hosting the Official Wrangler NFR Watch Party. The party will be held at the Tropicana Las Vegas inside of the Havana Room. Doors open at 5:15 pm. As soon as the bucking is done there will be live entertainment at 9:00 pm by the Western Fusion Band on Saturday, December 9th, and Nathan Dean & the Damn Band will be performing on Friday, December 15th. Deck yourselves out by wearing your favorite Wrangler wear and come early due to limited capacity. You don’t want to miss out on the best viewing party in town.

Saturday, Dec. 9th, and Friday, Dec. 15th, 2023
Doors Open 5:15 PM
Tropicana Las Vegas – The Havana Room

There is no shortage of exceptional live music in Vegas during the NFR, so there are plenty of opportunities to see some of your favorite artists! The hardest part is going to be deciding which concerts you want to attend while there; but to make it easier, we have a list of some must-see shows to look into.

Some Must-See Shows

• Scotty Alexander:
  • When: December 6
  • Where: Westgate Las Vegas
• Brian Childress from the Western Fusion Band (playing acoustic):
  • When: December 7th – 9th
  • Where: Robert Irvines from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. 
• Ryan Bingham:
  • When: December 7
  • Where: The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
• Ned LeDoux:
  • When: December 7 – 8
  • Where: Veil Pavilion at Silverton Casino Hotel
• Rodney Carrington:
  • When: December 7 – 9 and 14 – 16
  • Where: David Copperfield Theater at MGM Grand
• Aaron Watson:
  • When: December 7 – 10
  • Where: South Point Showroom at South Point Hotel Casino & Spa
• Cody Johnson:
  • When: December 8
  • Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena at MGM Grand
• Cody Jinks:
  • When: December 8 – 9
  • Where: Dolby Live at Park MGM
• Gary Allan:
  • When: December 8
  • Where: The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
• Turnpike Troubadours with Red Clay Strays & Tyler Halvers:
  • When: December 8
  • Where: Brooklyn Bowl
• Mark Wills:
  • When: December 8
  • Where: The Showroom at Golden Nugget
• Western Fusion Band:
  • When: Saturday, December 9
  • Where: Official Wrangler NFR Watch Party in Havana Room at the Tropicana Las Vegas
• Jon Pardi:
  • When: December 9
  • Where: Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay
• Hailey Whitters:
  • When: December 9
  • Where: BetMGM Sportsbook at Mandalay Bay
• Ian Munsick:
  • When: December 9
  • Where: The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
• Randy Houser and Tracy Lawrence:
  • When: December 10
  • Where: The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
• Pat Green:
  • When: December 10
  • Where: BetMGM Sportsbook at Mandalay Bay
• Ray Wylie Hubbard:
  • When: December 10
  • Where: The Showroom at Golden Nugget
• Toby Keith:
  • When: December 10, 11, & 14
  • Where: Dolby Live at Park MGM
• Chancey Williams:
  • When: December 11 – 12
  • Where: South Point Showroom at South Point Hotel Casino & Spa
• Charley Crockett:
  • When: December 12
  • Where: The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
• Lainey Wilson:
  • When: December 13 – 16
  • Where: The Theater at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
• Casey Donahew:
  • When: December 13
  • Where: BetMGM Sportsbook at Mandalay Bay
• Randall King:
  • When: December 13 – 14
  • Where: South Point Showroom at South Point Hotel & Casino
• Kevin Fowler:
  • When: December 13 – 14
  • Where: Gilley’s Saloon at Treasure Island/TI Hotel & Casino
• Nathan Dean (playing acoustic):
  • When: December 14 – 15
  • Where: Robert Irvines from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm
• Parker McCollum:
  • When: December 14 – 15
  • Where: The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
• Bellamy Brothers:
  • When: December 14
  • Where: The Showroom at Golden Nugget
• Nathan Dean & the Damn Band:
  • When: December 15
  • Where: Official Wrangler NFR Watch Party in Havana Room at the Tropicana Las Vegas
• LeAnn Rimes:
  • When: December 15 – 16 at The Venetian Theater at Venetian
• Chris Young:
  • When: December 16
  • Where: The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
• Easton Corbin:
  • When: December 16
  • Where: BetMGM Sportsbook at Mandalay Bay
• Wade Bowen with Jenna Paulette:
  • When: December 16
  • Where: Resorts World Event Center at Resorts World
• Blackhawk:
  • When: December 16
  • Where: William-Hill Sports Book at Palms Casino Resort

And this list only includes some of our stand-out picks! There are so many other concerts and shows scheduled for this year’s NFR. To find a complete list and schedule of entertainment around the city, visit nfrexperience.com/entertainment_around_town.

When you’re not at each evening’s rodeo performance or singing along to your favorite musical artists live, you will still have plenty to do with numerous other equine/western sports events, shopping, delicious food, and excitement around every corner. Las Vegas will be the perfect one-stop shop for all the best entertainment in December, and we can’t wait to see you there!

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