Save The Date: 2026 Houston Rodeo BBQ Cookoff February 26-Febrary 28 and Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo HSLR Lineup & info – March 2 – March 22, 2026
Save the date for the 94th Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, taking place Monday, March 2 – Sunday, March 22, 2026. Save the date for the 2026 Houston Rodeo Cookoff on February 26-February 28, 2026. Houston Rodeo Lineup, coming soon…
Are you wondering what day the Houston Rodeo Cookoff is for 2026, we got you covered. Mark your calendars, Houston! The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is thrilled to announce that the 2026 Rodeo will include an additional date and star entertainer, bringing the best of the Western heritage and entertainment for a total of 21 days.
The 2026 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo will take place from Monday, March 2 through Sunday, March 22. About the 2026 Houston Rodeo Cookoff: The 2026 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, presented by Cotton Holdings will take place from Thursday, February 26 – Saturday, February 28.
The RODEOHOUSTON® competition will occur through the first 20 days of the event, beginning on Monday, March 2 with Finals being held on Saturday, March 21. The last day of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, Sunday, March 22, will feature a full-length concert performance inside NRG Stadium. Although there will be no RODEOHOUSTON competition on the last Sunday, guests will have access to all activities across the grounds such as the Carnival, presented by First Community, Champion Wine Garden, presented by Frost, AGVENTURE, presented by Oxy, and shopping and dining inside NRG Center.
This is the first time the event has featured a 21st day since 2022. The entertainer performing a full-length evening concert on the final night of the 2026 event will be announced in May. The remaining 2026 RODEOHOUSTON entertainer lineup will be announced in early 2026.
The location for the Houston BBQ Cookoff will be in the NRG Stadium Parking Lots.
You can buy tickets ahead of time to enter the Cook-Off Grounds, but most tents tickets for entry are given to their sponsors for their guests to enter the rodeo cookoff tents with free passes.
About the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo promotes agriculture by hosting an annual, family-friendly experience that educates and entertains the public, supports Texas youth, showcases Western heritage, and provides year-round educational support within the community. Since its beginning in 1932, the Rodeo has committed more than $630 million to the youth of Texas and education. The 2026 Rodeo is scheduled for March 2 – March 22. The 2026 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest, presented by Cotton Holdings, is scheduled for Feb. 26 – Feb. 28.
Since 1932
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo has made an impressive footprint on the livestock and entertainment industries and in the sport of rodeo. It also has played a notable role in enhancing the lives of thousands of young people in the state of Texas.
MISSION
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ promotes agriculture by hosting an annual, family-friendly experience that educates and entertains the public, supports Texas youth, showcases Western heritage and provides year-round educational support within the community.
