Bull riders, bronc busters, and mutton-bustin' kids are taking over Cal Expo Arena this weekend as the Sac-Town Rodeo returns for its second year, with every ticket sold helping fund care for burn survivors and injured firefighters across Northern California. The two-day event runs Saturday from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and Sunday from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., bringing professional bull riding, bronc riding, and cowboy poker to the arena floor.
The rodeo raises money for the Firefighters Burn Institute, a Sacramento-based nonprofit that supports burn victims, their families, and firefighters throughout the region, according to KCRA. David Halimi, executive producer for Sac-Town Rodeo, said he and his brother founded the event, and that it sold out in its first year. This year's rodeo also serves as the kickoff stop for the NBC Tour. Diamond Productions has more than 36 years of experience staging events, according to the Sac-Town Rodeo.
Sunday's event runs from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tickets and full event information are available at sactownrodeo.com.
A Nonprofit Born From Tragedy
The Firefighters Burn Institute was founded in 1973 in Sacramento, and its burn unit was founded the following year by Cliff Haskell, according to the same KCRA report. The organization's origins trace back to a jet crash at Sacramento's Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor in 1972, which killed 22 people and caused serious burn injuries to many others. Before the institute and the UC Davis Regional Burn Center opened in January 1974, severely burned patients in the Sacramento region lacked a local specialized treatment facility, as reported by CBS News.
Since then, the institute has expanded its mission to include more programs and help for all burn survivors, providing specialized burn treatment support for survivors and others, per the KCRA report. Sarah Valentine serves as events and marketing manager for the Firefighters Burn Institute.
Camps, Retreats, and Peer Support
The institute's flagship recovery programs include the annual Firefighters Kids Camp in Livermore, which hosts about 50 burn-injured children ages 7 to 17 each summer, with volunteer counselors made up of firefighters, burn nurses, and adult burn survivors, according to The San Diego Voice & Viewpoint. For younger survivors ages 1 to 6, the institute runs the three-day Little Heroes Family Burn Camp, which provides support for families coping with burn-recovery challenges, according to the Firefighters Burn Institute.
Adults are not left out of the equation either. The institute hosts an Adult Burn Survivor Recovery Retreat free of charge, with the 2026 retreat listed for South Lake Tahoe and open to burn survivors along with their partners or primary caregivers. The institute also provides support for burn survivors.
Regional Partnerships and First Responder Support
The Firefighters Burn Institute supports young burn survivors and their families. The institute's regional work reflects how deeply the nonprofit is woven into the region's medical response network.
The institute's support extends directly to first responders themselves. In March 2025, the organization provided emergency support after an El Dorado County Fire Captain suffered serious burn injuries during a residential attic fire response and was admitted to UC Davis Medical Center, a case previously covered by Hoodline. More recently, Placerville-area first responders climbed the equivalent of 110 stories at Red Hawk to mark the 25th anniversary of 9/11, an effort that generated a $5,000 corporate donation for the institute.
Weekend Lineup and Sponsors
Back at Cal Expo, the rodeo itself remains a family-friendly, two-day spectacle featuring bull riding, bronc riding, mutton bustin', and cowboy poker. Oracle Construction & Restoration serves as the title sponsor for the 2026 event. KUBU 96.5 is a Sacramento community radio station. Proceeds from the rodeo go to the Firefighters Burn Institute.
For families looking to attend, Saturday's rodeo runs from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., while Sunday's Family Day runs from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Additional details on programs supported by the rodeo's proceeds are available through ffburn.org.
