Carnival & Fair News

This year's Rodeo Austin generated extra excitement by promoting itself more like a fair than a rodeo. The grit, tradition, and excitement of the rodeo were on full display, along with new events within events that expanded its opening day push, such as small concerts and a new Extreme Bull Riding competition. These additions reinforced the rodeo atmosphere. At the same time, the event introduced a promotion drawn directly from the fair marketing playbook by spotlighting fair cuisine in a pre-event publicity campaign.

Rodeo Austin held its first-ever Golden A Awards. As the event's social media explained, “These awards celebrate the vendors, partners, and experiences that go above and beyond to make the fairgrounds unforgettable, from standout flavors to show-stopping displays and exceptional service.”

Award-Winning Fair Food

The inaugural 2026 champions included Tracy's Concessions for Garlic Parmesan Fries in the Classic Fair Treat category; Rodney and Lisa for Chicken Al Pastor Calzone in Best Local Flavors; Gumball Entertainment for El Loco in Most Instagrammable; Houston Concessions as Rookie Food Vendor; and Nitro Hog BBQ as Legacy Food Vendor.



While the Luedecke Arena contracted with other food and beverage vendors, the rodeo arena midway featured 47 food vendors in 2026, many of them locally based. In recent years, the rodeo's fair food offerings have expanded to rival nearly any regional fair, earning the event a reputation as a destination for fair cuisine enthusiasts. Glen Alan Phillips, chief executive officer of Rodeo Austin, decided this year to highlight the event's concessions with an annual awards program.

“It was our first Golden A Awards of Excellence,” he said. “We gave awards to vendors across the fairgrounds and to multiple caterers. We had judges who are locally known, and we promoted it heavily with local media. It was a great promotion. People have been coming to the rodeo for the fair food, so this builds on that.”

The Rodeo Austin menu features classic staples such as corn dogs, turkey legs, and funnel cakes, along with creative twists and mashups from local food vendors. Austin, known for its vibrant music scene, is also recognized as a leading dining destination in the Southwest. According to Phillips, top new sellers this year included chicken fried lobster, the K'boom K-Dog, a Korean corn dog made with Hot Cheetos, and a Dubai chocolate funnel cake. “I'm not sure what that was, but it was delicious,” Phillips said.

 

AMP Midway

A fair food awards program modeled on similar events at state and large county fairs was not the only highlighted fair component in 2026. Amusement Midway Providers, a relatively new conglomeration that has taken over many dates from the Crabtree Amusements route following Pat Crabtree's retirement, featured a 51-ride midway with several new attractions.

“Amusement Midway Providers follows years with Pat Crabtree and they are new to us, so most of the rides are still new to our attendees,” Phillips said. “They've done a wonderful job, especially during the transition to a new midway, and they have blended very well with the rodeo.”




New rides for Rodeo Austin included Tango, renamed and re-themed Sky Trip; Venom, a re-themed Spider; and a new Winky the Whale. The highest-grossing rides included the Giant Wheel, Flashback, and Big Surf, which features a 30-by-30-foot LED screen and is believed to be the largest traveling water slide in North America.

“As far as rodeos go, the Rodeo Austin midway is one of the most organized and well-run in Texas,” said Jason Wagner, president and co-owner of Amusement Midway Providers. “It's one of the best-run fairs we partner with, especially when it comes to staff management. Their team is incredible to work with. They are very attentive to detail, which aligns with what AMP is all about.”

The 2026 midway faced challenges. While PRCA events and a star-studded concert lineup drew strong crowds, weather issues and a noticeable decline in spending affected performance.

“We had a bit of a down year,” Wagner said. “We had weather problems. Everyone in our industry is an eternal optimist, so I hope the economy improves as the season goes on. Right now, people are concerned about rising fuel costs and general expenses, and fairs are competing for those entertainment dollars.”

“Weather was a challenge,” Phillips said. “It varied widely. We had some very nice days, but we were negatively affected by rain early on and three or four days of high winds, which hurt the carnival. Our opening weekend, which is typically very strong, was impacted.”

 

Video and Influencers

 
Phillips added, “It's interesting. People who came out did spend money, and we had some of our biggest rodeo ticket sales. But the combination of high winds and economic pressure did have an effect. Overall, Rodeo Austin performed well. We had a strong show across the board.”

Attendance reached 505,193, about a 1 percent increase over 2025. Given the challenges of weather and inflation, attendance growth was a positive outcome. The 2026 event also included three record attendance days.

The event's tagline, “Grow the Next Generation of Texans,” has become a consistent promotional theme. Rodeo Austin increased its advertising budget by 7.5 percent in 2026, with a continued shift toward digital media.

“We made adjustments to our media strategy, but nothing major,” Phillips said. “We partnered with a new media buyer who is focused on digital marketing and staying on top of current trends.”

A more visible change was a more aggressive social media presence.

“We put greater emphasis on video,” he said. “We created more content that highlights the fun and excitement of the rodeo, including attendees enjoying themselves. The content is professionally produced, and we have made a strong effort to improve overall quality.”

The 2026 campaign also expanded its social media influencer partnerships.

“We worked with between five and twenty influencers,” Phillips said. “We collaborate with a diverse group and engage them in different ways. Many have a Western focus, but we expanded our reach this year.”

This year's concerts included two Latin nights featuring La Original Banda El Limón and Los Invasores de Nuevo León, along with performances by Eli Young Band, Midland, Anne Wilson, Clint Black, and Tanya Tucker. “We sold out 11 of 16 performances,” Phillips said. “Midland was one of the biggest draws.”

Talent buying remains a seller's market.

“It continues to get more expensive,” Phillips said. “We started earlier than ever for 2026, and that timeline is continuing.”

Rodeo Austin continues to grow as both a rodeo and a fair in the Texas market. The state capital is known worldwide for its unique blend of cowboy culture and modern energy, which is reflected in this annual tradition.

“There is a strong heritage of Western culture in Texas, with boots and hats as part of everyday identity,” Phillips said. “People want to dress like cowboys. The appeal is the authenticity of the rodeo experience. That remains relevant, and we are also benefiting from the Yellowstone effect and the popularity of cowboy culture. Rodeo is still very popular, but the midway and overall fair experience are family-oriented, patriotic, and provide entertainment grounded in strong values.”