NEW ORLEANS — The Hondo Rodeo Fest has announced its first expansion plans for 2026, unveiling New Orleans as the next major U.S. market. Scheduled for April 10–12, 2026, the Hondo Rodeo Fest will take place at Caesars Superdome bringing its signature three-day million-dollar rodeo competition, concert music series and fan festival to an impressive potential 100,000 fans.
The Hondo Rodeo Fest’s 2026 event at the Superdome is in partnership with the State of Louisiana, Legends Global, Louisiana Stadium and Exhibition District, and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation, whose industry-leading partnerships help turn public investment into economic impact.
“We’re proud to welcome the Hondo Rodeo Fest to Louisiana and the Caesars Superdome,” said Governor Jeff Landry of Louisiana. “This event represents the kind of major entertainment investment that drives tourism, supports local business, and strengthens our state’s growing live events economy. The Hondo Rodeo Fest captures the spirit of the market, and we’re excited to work with James and his team to integrate our New Orleans culture to make this an incredible fan experience.”
The Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation has served as the host committee for four Super Bowls, seven NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Fours, three NBA All-Star Games, two WrestleMania events and more.
“We’re thrilled to bring the Hondo Rodeo Fest to The Big Easy. The sheer size and scale of the Superdome gives us an incredible opportunity to respond to their continuously growing appetite for rodeo excitement and headlining country music,” said James Trawick, CEO of The Hondo Rodeo Fest. “We are incredibly lucky to have the industry validation and support from Governor Jeff Landry and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation to best position ourselves for success and produce the best Hondo Rodeo Fest yet.”
Economic Impact and Tourism Potential
The event is projected to generate millions in visitor spending across hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues in downtown New Orleans, which typically see strong spring tourism traffic. Organizers say that hosting the Hondo Rodeo Fest could drive one of the largest non-football event weekends at the Superdome in recent years, building on the city’s growing appeal as a year-round destination for large-scale live entertainment.
Expanding Louisiana’s Event Portfolio
Louisiana’s growing investment in sports and entertainment infrastructure has positioned New Orleans as a natural choice for national events like the Hondo Rodeo Fest. In recent years, venues such as the Caesars Superdome, Smoothie King Center and Ernest N. Morial Convention Center have helped the state attract major festivals and championships, strengthening its reputation as a year-round destination for large-scale live events.
For the Hondo Rodeo Fest, that combination of world-class facilities and cultural appeal made New Orleans an ideal next stop on the growing national rodeo circuit. Organizers announced the city’s selection during a press conference at the event’s Media Day, held alongside the 2025 competition at Chase Field in Phoenix, Nov. 7–9. This year’s lineup features well-known rock and country performers including Nickelback, Kid Rock, Jason Aldean, Treaty Oak Revival, Jon Pardi and Riley Green.
Launched in November 2024, the Hondo Rodeo Fest blends a three-day professional rodeo competition with nightly, two-hour country music concerts. Its invite-only format features world champion cowboys and cowgirls competing across eight categories for a $1 million prize purse, a combination of sport and entertainment that has drawn national attention and set the stage for even larger productions.
Looking ahead to 2026, Trawick said, “The Hondo team is looking forward to even bigger musical artists and for New Orleans to feel like the ‘Super Bowl’ of rodeo has come to town.”
The Hondo Rodeo Fest is expected to announce its artist lineup for New Orleans later in 2025.
About the Hondo Rodeo Fest
The Hondo Rodeo Fest is a three-day premium rodeo competition, country music concert series and Western Culture Fan Festival. For more information, including sponsorship and premium suite experiences, visit https://thehondorodeofest.com/.
About the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation
Organized in August 1988, the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation is a non-profit 501(c) (4) organization whose mission is to attract and manage sporting events that have a positive economic impact on Louisiana and the Greater New Orleans area. Throughout its 37-year history, the Sports Foundation has been awarded and managed hundreds of events and turned a $50 million public investment into more than $4.2 billion in economic impact for the State of Louisiana and the Greater New Orleans area. Learn more about the Sports Foundation at gnosports.com.
