State Fair of Texas Pauses Rodeo for 2026 Season

(KNUE-FM) Rodeo fans in Texas are going to be a little disappointed when they find out that The State Fair of Texas has made the difficult decision to pause the rodeo for the 2026 fair season according to KHOU. There was a statement that was released this past weekend and fair officials say that after evaluating their entertainment, attraction, and exhibitor offerings.

Why the Rodeo Is Paused

While not having the rodeo this year might leave some fans unhappy, they had to do something as many people left the fair last year unsure if they were going to continue to visit in the years to come, mostly due to rising prices.

READ MORE: Food Critic Dave Portnoy Full of Lies at State Fair of Texas

Feedback From Fair Officials

Fair officials said they still support the Texas equine industry and hope to welcome events back in the future when conditions allow.

As a fan of going to a rodeo, this is disappointing news, although I understand the struggle that fair officials are facing. Plain and simple, they had to make some cuts if they are going to make the fair more affordable for Texas families and unfortunately rodeos can take a lot of money to put on. There will be people that are disappointed but tough decisions had to be made.

The fair made it very clear that this is just a pause and not a goodbye to the rodeo forever. But it’s anyone’s guess as to when we will ever see the rodeo as part of The State Fair of Texas again.

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