The Hondo Rodeo Fest, hyped by organizers as the "Super Bowl of rodeos," is set to turn the Caesars Superdome into a full-on Western spectacle for a three-day run on April 10 612, 2026. The weekend mashes up an elite, invite-only rodeo with a Western-themed street festival in Champions Square and nightly country-rock headliners that are meant to pull visitors into downtown.
Lineup, schedule and tickets
The music slate leans hard into big-name country and rock. Jason Aldean teams up with Lynyrd Skynyrd on Friday, Cody Johnson shares the bill with Old Dominion on Saturday, and Creed closes things out Sunday with Bailey Zimmerman.
As listed on the Hondo Rodeo Fest site, fans can choose single-day tickets or three-day passes, with floor-pass upgrades for those who want to be closer to the action. Tickets and official event listings are also available through Ticketmaster.
A champion-level rodeo and a prison exhibition
Organizers describe the Superdome centerpiece as an invite-only, champion-level rodeo with a prize purse of roughly $1 million, according to WAFB. It is designed to showcase top-tier competitors rather than open qualifiers.
Alongside the professional competition, the festival will stage an exhibition linked to the Angola Prison Rodeo. Proceeds from that Angola segment are set to be split between the Louisiana Victims Impact Fund and support for inmates' families, as reported by KEDM Public Radio.
State backing and the economic case
To land the event, Louisiana lawmakers approved a $2 million incentive from the state's Major Events fund to bring Hondo to the Superdome, according to New Orleans CityBusiness. Supporters argue that the festival plugs a hole in the downtown event calendar and should help fill hotel rooms and restaurant tables during a weekend that is usually quieter for New Orleans.
Street fest, parking and arena rules
The Hondo Street Fest in Champions Square is slated to open each day at noon with vendors and local music, according to Hondo Rodeo Fest. It serves as the daytime lead-in before fans head inside for the rodeo and evening concerts.
The Caesars Superdome, which hosts the arena portion, operates as a cashless venue and enforces a clear-bag policy for all events. The stadium also recommends purchasing parking in advance for large weekends, something Hondo attendees are encouraged to factor into their arrival plans. VIP floor boxes and floor-pass upgrades are promoted through the festival's premium channels and the venue's partners.
Angola: tradition, controversy and context
Bringing Angola's prison-rodeo tradition into a downtown festival puts a long-running debate under the spotlight. Supporters point to the income and programs the rodeo funds, while critics raise alarms about risks to participants and concerns over exploitation.
The Angola event has been labeled "risky" and "controversial" in prior reporting and has faced audits and questions over its finances, as chronicled by outlets such as The Guardian. For the Superdome exhibition, organizers present the collaboration as a social-impact partnership, with proceeds earmarked for victims' services and family support, according to KEDM Public Radio.
How to go
General-admission tickets and multi-day passes are currently on sale through Ticketmaster. The Superdome box office and premium seating contacts list floor and suite options for groups that want a more private setup.
Drivers should plan for heavy downtown traffic around the Superdome. The venue's visitor guidance recommends buying parking in advance and arriving early to catch the street-fest programming, per Caesars Superdome.
