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What is the North Texas Fair & Rodeo?
The North Texas Fair & Rodeo is a 10-night annual fair and professional rodeo held in Denton, Texas, run by the North Texas State Fair Association. It combines rodeo competition, live country music, livestock shows, a carnival, and family attractions into one event, with a stated community mission: the association reports more than 700 members and volunteers, over $34,000 in scholarships awarded annually, and over $725,000 reinvested into the community each year. It has been incorporated since 1928.
North Texas Fair & Rodeo
What happens there
The schedule is broad enough that you can build a visit around one interest rather than trying to see everything:
- Rodeo — PRCA rodeo events, an invitational ranch rodeo, a 21 & Under rodeo, Bull Blowout, Celebracion Del Toro, and Mutton Bustin' for young riders.
- Music — headlining concerts on the Miller Lite Main Stage, plus shows at the Cool Zone Revolver Stage.
- Livestock and equestrian — open and junior shows for beef cattle, goats, sheep, swine, and poultry, plus a horse show.
- Contests and creative entries — photography, baking, youth art, creative arts, and a beauty pageant and rodeo queen contest.
- General fairground — carnival, parade, commercial exhibits and food vendors, and assorted attractions.
Who it suits
Families with children get the most obvious fit, since the kid and fun zones, carnival, and Mutton Bustin' skew young. Rodeo and country-music fans can treat it as a concert-and-competition trip. People connected to agriculture — 4-H and FFA families, breeders, exhibitors — come for the livestock shows and junior competitions. If you want a quieter experience, the livestock barns and exhibit halls during daytime hours are usually calmer than the midway and main stage at night.
Practical considerations
- Dates: the site lists the 99th annual edition as August 20–29, 2027, in Denton, Texas. Verify current dates, gate hours, and parking details on the official site before traveling, since these change year to year.
- Tickets: sold through the official site's ticket page rather than at a fixed gate price you can assume in advance.
- Heat: late August in North Texas is hot, so plan around evening events and use shaded or indoor areas during the afternoon.
- Getting involved: membership, volunteering, sponsorships, vendor space, internships, and scholarships are all listed for people who want more than a one-time visit.
A useful next step: decide your main reason for going — rodeo, a specific concert, or livestock showing — then check the daily schedule so you attend on the night that features it. If you are entering a contest or livestock class, note the entry deadlines separately from the general event dates.
When are the dates and hours for the 2027 North Texas Fair & Rodeo?
The 2027 North Texas Fair & Rodeo is scheduled for August 20–29, 2027, in Denton, Texas. The site bills it as the 99th annual edition, running 10 nights.
Hours: The page evidence does not list daily gate hours, so don't plan around a specific opening time yet. The site does have a "Gate Hours and Parking Information" page under its About section, which is where the official times will appear once posted.
Practical note: Evening programming is the anchor here — rodeo events and main-stage concerts — with livestock shows, contests, a carnival, and exhibits filling out the daytime and early evening. If you're going mainly for a concert or a specific rodeo performance, check the daily schedule rather than assuming a single gate time covers everything.
Next step: visit North Texas Fair & Rodeo and open the About > Gate Hours and Parking Information page, plus the Daily Schedule, to confirm hours and event times closer to the dates.
How do I buy tickets and what do they cost?
Tickets are sold through the fair's own site; look for the "Tickets" or "Get Tickets!" link on North Texas Fair & Rodeo. The page confirms the next edition runs August 20–29, 2027 in Denton, Texas, but it does not publish ticket prices or a price table, so exact costs must be checked on the ticketing page or by contacting the fair office at (940) 387-2632 / [email protected].
What to expect when you buy
- Timing: Buy in advance for the nights you most want, especially headlining concert and rodeo nights, which draw the biggest crowds.
- What a ticket may cover: Many fairs of this type sell a single gate admission that includes grounds access, carnival areas and most attractions, with separate charges for rides, food, carnival wristbands or premium rodeo seating. Verify what the 2027 admission includes before paying.
- Discounts: Check for multi-day passes, kids/senior rates and advance-purchase savings — these are common but not confirmed on this page.
Practical example
If you're planning a family trip, price out one evening plus parking and carnival rides rather than just the gate ticket; those extras often exceed admission. If you mainly want the PRCA rodeo or a main-stage concert, confirm whether those need a separate reserved ticket.
Next step
Open the Tickets section on North Texas Fair & Rodeo and compare the options listed there, or call the office for current pricing. For a second reference on the event itself, see the Denton visitor information from Discover Denton.
What concerts, rodeos, and livestock shows are on the daily schedule?
The North Texas Fair & Rodeo lists its entertainment in broad event categories rather than a single merged daily grid. The page names the rodeo series, concert stages, and livestock show classes, but it does not pair each one with a specific date or time.
Rodeo events listed
- PRCA Rodeo
- Invitational Ranch Rodeo
- 21 & Under Rodeo
- Bull Blowout
- Celebracion Del Toro
- Mutton Bustin'
Concerts and live music
- Miller Lite Main Stage Headlining Concerts
- Cool Zone
- Revolver Stage Concerts
- Live Music
Livestock shows listed
- Open Beef Cattle
- Junior Heifers
- Junior Steers
- Open Boer Goats
- Junior Commercial Goats
- Junior Market Goats
- Open Breeding Sheep
- Junior Commercial Sheep
- Junior Market Lambs
- Junior Market Swine
- Open & Junior Poultry
- Horse Show
Other contests and attractions
- No Limits Contests
- Photography Contest
- Beauty Pageant
- Rodeo Queen Contest
- Creative Arts Contest
- Youth Art Contest
- Baking Contest
- Cookoffs
- Parade
- Carnival
- Commercial Exhibits and Food Vendors
- Walt Garrison Golf Classic
- Legends Under the Lights
- Hall of Fame Induction & Banquet
How to plan around it
If you want a specific night, start with the "NTFR Daily Schedule" link on the site, then cross-check the entertainment schedule for stage times. Rodeo fans should confirm which nights carry the PRCA Rodeo versus the Invitational Ranch Rodeo, since those are separate events. Families with young children may prefer the Mutton Bustin' and carnival blocks, while livestock families will need the show-specific schedule because junior and open classes often run at different times and locations on the grounds.
The fair runs August 20–29, 2027, in Denton, Texas, so the daily schedule is likely to be finalized closer to the event. For reference on the wider Denton area, see Discover Denton.
How can I become a member, volunteer, vendor, or sponsor?
The North Texas Fair & Rodeo offers four main ways to get involved, each with a different commitment level. All of them start from the "Get Involved" section of North Texas Fair & Rodeo.
Membership — Join the North Texas State Fair Association, the nonprofit organization behind the annual event. The site notes more than 700 members and volunteers, and membership is tied to the association's year-round work, including scholarships and community reinvestment. This suits people who want a standing connection to the fair rather than a one-time role.
Volunteering — Volunteers help put on the fair itself, from livestock shows to guest areas. This is the best fit if you want hands-on experience during the ten-day run without a long-term commitment. The site lists a dedicated Volunteers page under Get Involved.
Vendors and commercial exhibitors — Two separate paths:
- Commercial exhibitors have an "Inside Commercial Exhibitors" page, suggesting indoor booth space.
- Food vendors have their own page, since food operations have different requirements.
If you sell products, start with commercial exhibitors; if you serve food, use the food vendor route.
Sponsorships — Businesses can sponsor the fair, and the site thanks sponsors prominently. Sponsorship makes sense if you want visibility with fair audiences rather than a booth or hands-on role.
Quick comparison
| Path | Best for | Commitment |
|---|---|---|
| Membership | Ongoing supporters of the association | Annual |
| Volunteer | People who want to work the event | During the fair |
| Vendor/exhibitor | Businesses selling goods or food | Booth or stand |
| Sponsor | Brands seeking visibility | Sponsorship term |
Next step
Visit the Get Involved section of North Texas Fair & Rodeo and open the page matching your goal — Membership, Volunteers, Vendors and Commercial Exhibitors, or Sponsorships. If you are unsure which fits, contact the office at [email protected] or (940) 387-2632 before committing, since vendor and sponsorship terms differ.
What scholarships does the North Texas State Fair Association offer and how do I apply?
The North Texas State Fair Association lists seven scholarship programs under its "Get Involved" section. They fall into two rough groups: general continuing-education awards and trade/vocational or rodeo-specific awards.
Scholarships named on the site
- North Texas State Fair Association Scholarship
- Bob C. Powers Scholarship
- Robert Bell and Bobby & Judy Jones Trade or Vocational Scholarship
- Harry Hall and Bill Allen Continuing Education Scholarship
- Clyde and Pauline Fisher Foundation Scholarship
- Walt Garrison Higher Education/Rodeo Scholarship
The association also states that it and its associates award over $34,000 in scholarships annually, which gives a sense of scale but not of individual award amounts.
How to apply
The site's navigation leads to scholarship pages from the "Get Involved" menu, but the supplied page content does not include eligibility rules, deadlines, forms or required materials. The practical next step is to open the scholarship section on North Texas Fair & Rodeo and check each named award individually, since trade/vocational and rodeo awards typically have different criteria from the general scholarships.
If the details are not posted, contact the office directly using the information published on the site — 2217 N Carroll Blvd., Denton, Texas 76201, [email protected], (940) 387-2632 — and ask which award fits your situation, what the deadline is, and whether transcripts, references or proof of enrollment are required.
Choosing between them
- If you are pursuing a four-year degree, start with the general association and continuing-education awards.
- If you are enrolled in a trade, vocational or technical program, the Robert Bell and Bobby & Judy Jones award is the one named for that path.
- If your background is in rodeo, the Walt Garrison Higher Education/Rodeo Scholarship is the obvious first check.
Because these are separate named funds, applying for one does not necessarily put you in the running for the others; confirm with the association whether a single application covers multiple awards.
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