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Pendleton Round-Up 2026

Rodeo News

One of the most iconic professional rodeos is right around the corner: the 2026 Pendleton Round-Up! With its rich history and electrifying atmosphere, it’s no secret that it’s been awarded the “PRCA Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year” Award twelve times. This year’s edition is taking over town September 16–19, and promises another exciting year of competition. Get ready, rodeo fans – you don’t want to miss “The Green Mile” this year!

Pendleton Rodeo 2026 Dates.  Female barrel racer.
Pendleton Rodeo

A Historic Event

The first Pendleton Round-Up, held September 29, 1910, was to be “a frontier exhibition of picturesque pastimes, Indian and military spectacles, cowboy racing and bronco busting for the championship of the Northwest.” It lived up to expectations, and more. Throughout its over 100-year history, the Native American participation, strong volunteerism, and community support have made this one of the largest and most beloved rodeos on the continent.

It has grown into a week-long celebration of western heritage that includes parades, concerts, a night pageant, and more, thrilling tens of thousands of cowboys and cowgirls (and those who want to be!) every year.

Honoring Tradition For Over A Century

Native Americans have been an integral component of the Pendleton Round-Up since its inception. Members of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation – the Umatilla, Cayuse, and Walla Walla Indians who live eight miles east of Pendleton – host a grand tribal village that annually includes more than 300 teepees. Indians from around the Northwest travel to Pendleton, where they gather in the village to visit with friends and relatives, take part in the Happy Canyon Pageant, and dance in the arena during rodeo matinees.

Happy Canyon Indian Village
Happy Canyon – Pendleton Rodeo

Additionally, the Round-Up serves as the forum for two Indian beauty contests – the American Indian Beauty Contest, which is held Friday morning prior to the Westward Ho! parade on Main Street in Pendleton, and the Junior Indian Beauty Contest, held Thursday morning at the Roy Raley Park adjacent to the Round-Up grounds. Another key event during the week is a Round-Up Pow Wow dance competition, which occurs at 9 am on Saturday in the Round-Up arena.

Not to be missed are the Indian Vendors who assemble in Roy Raley Park for Round-Up week to display and sell a wide variety of Native American Arts and Craft items, including beautiful silver jewelry and Indian beadwork. Indian fry-bread and tacos are a treat to enjoy when you visit the Native American vendors in this area.

Kick Off the Week the Right Way!

Country powerhouse Gretchen Wilson will be joined by chart-topping duo The Band Perry to launch the 116th Pendleton Round-Up and 110th Happy Canyon with the 2026 Round-Up & Happy Canyon Kick-Off Concert on Saturday, September 12, at 7 PM.

Kick Off Concert Pendleton Rodeo
Kick Off Concert Pendleton Rodeo

Wilson, a Grammy winner and multi-platinum artist, has racked up ACM, CMA, AMA, and Billboard honors throughout her career. Her breakout smash “Redneck Woman” spent six weeks at No. 1, while her debut album Here for the Party sold more than five million copies and produced hits including the title track, “Homewrecker” and “When I Think About Cheatin’.” More than 20 years into her career, Wilson continues to command the spotlight. She recently won FOX’s The Masked Singer, stunning audiences week after week with dynamic performances. She also served as tour manager and mentor on CBS’s The Road, executive produced by Taylor Sheridan and Blake Shelton and starring Keith Urban.

The Band Perry will arrive in Pendleton following a celebrated 2025 comeback that marked a bold new era for the award-winning group. Known for their DIAMOND-certified hit “If I Die Young,” the group has sold 2.5 million albums, 12 million singles and amassed more than one billion streams worldwide. With six No. 1 singles and multiple Platinum and Gold certifications, The Band Perry blends Appalachian edge, cinematic storytelling and arena-ready energy into an unforgettable live show.

“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome Gretchen Wilson and The Band Perry to the Happy Canyon Arena as we celebrate the 116th Pendleton Round-Up and the 110th anniversary of Happy Canyon,” says Happy Canyon President Casey Hunt. “This milestone year deserved an electrifying lineup, and that’s exactly what we’re delivering. Gretchen brings that bold, high-octane country spirit, and The Band Perry’s chart-topping hits and dynamic stage presence will make this a night our fans won’t forget. It’s the perfect mix of tradition, energy, and celebration for two iconic Pendleton institutions.”

Concert at Pendleton Rodeo.
Concert at Pendleton Rodeo. Photo from Buckley Gallery

Schedule

  • Monday, Sept. 14
    • 8:30 AM – Slack
  • Tuesday, Sept. 15
    • 8:30 AM – Slack
  • Wednesday, Sept. 16
    • 6:00 AM – VFW Outdoor Cowboy Breakfast
    • 8:30 AM – Slack
  • Thursday, Sept. 17
    • 6:00 AM – VFW Outdoor Cowboy Breakfast
    • 8:30 AM – Children’s Rodeo – Slack
    • 8:30 AM – Slack
    • 1:15 PM – Thursday Round-Up Performance -Tough Enough to Wear Pink Day
  • Friday, Sept. 18
    • 6:00 AM – VFW Outdoor Cowboy Breakfast
    • 1:15 PM – Friday Performance – Wrangler National Patriots Day
  • Saturday, Sept. 19
    • 6:00 AM – VFW Outdoor Cowboy Breakfast
    • 1:15 PM – Pendleton Round-Up Finals – Golden Circle of Champions Day

VISIT PENDLETONROUNDUP.COM FOR FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

The Pendleton Round-Up is a true bucket-list rodeo, and it’s one every rodeo fan should experience at least once. Whether you’ve followed the sport for years or you’re planning a fun adventure out West, the Round-Up delivers an unforgettable mix of world-class competition, Western tradition, and small-town atmosphere. If you’ve never been, this is the year to make the trip. See you in Pendleton!

Happy Canyon - Pendleton Rodeo
Happy Canyon – Pendleton Rodeo

Thank You Sponsors

A special shout-out to all the sponsors of the Pendleton Round Up. With their support, rodeo events like this are a success.

Coors

Coors Banquet has been around for more than 150 years. They haven’t compromised their craft. You get what you give, and they’ve only given the best that they can brew. Banquet is brewed with 100% Rocky Mountain water, so when you’re enjoying a Banquet, you’re drinking history. Coors Banquet has been an amazing and loyal sponsor of professional rodeo since 1980. Their support runs deep for the inspiration and passion of rodeo cowboys. Coors Banquet has been the official beer of the PRCA since 1987 and is the sponsor for the Gold Rush Days & Senior Pro Rodeo. Coors Banquet launched its “Man in the Can” program in 1984. The program recognizes top barrelmen in ProRodeo for the uniqueness, determination, and passion that they display in the rodeo arenas all throughout the United States. Coors Banquet is dedicated to its fans with a grass-roots sponsorship of local rodeos as well as ingenious marketing. Next time you’re thirsty for a cold one, Make It a Banquet.

Wrangler

The Western Wear icon since 1947, Wrangler is an authentic American brand with a rich legacy rooted in the Western Lifestyle. The brand is the title sponsor of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and supporter of hundreds of western events across North America. From the greatest rodeo cowboys and cowgirls in the world, like Stetson Wright, JB Mauney, and Hailey Kinsel, to headlining country music artists, George Strait, Aaron Watson, Lainey Wilson, and Cody Johnson, Wrangler is the brand of choice for the biggest stars in the West. Long Live Cowboys! Long Live Cowgirls!

Wrangler Promotion

Looking as sharp as the cowboys in the arena just got a whole lot easier. Wrangler is running an exclusive rodeo-season promotion at local stores. For a limited time, you can score Buy 2, Get 1 Free on Wrangler jeans and grab a $10 rebate on shirts. Mark your calendar and swing by your local retailer to lock in these savings

Last Updated on 08/22/2026 by Carly Davidson

About the Author:

Biography:

Carly Davidson is a freelance professional skilled in writing, marketing, and photography. She received a rodeo scholarship from New Mexico State University, where she graduated with a Bachelor’s in Marketing and MBA. As a proud sixth generation Arizonan, she has a deep appreciation for the western lifestyle, and has been able to work with some of the industry’s top companies and publications. In her free time, she loves roping, barrel racing, and fly fishing.

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