Mamas, you may not want to let your babies grow up to be cowboys. But you gotta let them play the part for a week because – between the petting zoo and the rope tricks, the shopping and the socializing, the speed of the bronc bucking and the strength of the steer wrestlers – this is an expansive event babies won’t ever forget. There’s at least one must-see event full of Salinas rodeo tradition you need to see every day, so have the babies grab their stick horses to race on Thursday and don’t plan on resting till the cows (and bulls and horses) come home Sunday.


Thursday, July 19


8:30am • Miss California Rodeo Salinas Horsemanship: Open to public (Salinas Sports Complex)


11am • Rodeo Slack in Arena


11am • Hall of Fame Induction (Director’s Patio)


3:30pm • Mini-Parade on East Alisal Street


4pm • Gates Open & Heritage Museum Opens


4:30pm • Stick Horse Race on the Track (sign up at 4pm in front of Kids Corral) The rodeo’s family-oriented atmosphere is perfectly embodied in this event, as mini cowboys-to-be compete on their homemade stick horses to obtain a spot to race on the rodeo track during the rodeo performance.


5pm • Kids Corral Opens


6pm • Grand Entry & Rodeo: Tough Enough to Wear Pink Night – Arena Events: bull riding, tie-down roping, bareback riding, team roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling.


Friday, July 20


11am • Rodeo Slack in Arena


3:30pm • Mini-Parade North Main Street


4pm • Gates Open – Fight Hunger Night


Heritage Museum Open


5pm • Kids Corral Opens


6pm • Grand Entry & Rodeo – Arena events: bull riding, tie-down roping, bareback riding, team roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling.


Saturday, July 21


10am • Gates Open


11am • Heritage Museum Open


11am • Kids Corral Opens


11:30am • Horse Parade (Downtown)


12pm • Special Buckaroos Rodeo (Rodeo Track)


1:15pm • Grand Entry & Rodeo: Salute to Military Day – Arena events: bull riding, tie-down roping, bareback riding, team roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling.


7:30pm • Alan Jackson Concert Country superstar Alan Jackson is the missing puzzle piece to the rodeo, with his country roots and amazing talent. The 2-time Grammy nominee, 17-time ACM award winner, 16-time CMA recipient and inductee of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame has drawn a sell-out crowd. 


Sunday, July 22


10am • Gates Open


10:30am • Cowboy Church in Main/West Grandstands


11am • Heritage Museum Open


11am • Kids Corral Opens


11:30am • Horse Parade (Downtown) A long time tradition of the rodeo, the horse parade showcases numerous aspects of equestrian lifestyles such as sidesaddle riding, rodeo queens, vaqueros, and much more. The parade goes through Oldtown Salinas and onto the rodeo track where thousands of excited rodeo fans await its arrival.


1:15pm • Grand Entry & Rodeo: Crown Royal Day of Champions – Arena Events: bull riding, tie-down roping, bareback riding, team roping, gold card team roping, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling.