Longhorns are marching through the heart of Oklahoma City once again as the Stockyards Stampede returns to the historic Stockyards City district, bringing a day of chuckwagon cooking, live music, a statewide beef competition and family activities to Exchange Avenue and the streets around it. The free festival is hosted by Stockyards City Main Street in a neighborhood built around a working livestock market that still runs live cattle auctions every week.
A Longhorn Parade Through a Working Stockyards
The Slash O' Ranch Longhorns kick off the day at 10 a.m., beginning their parade under the Oklahoma National Stockyards archway on Exchange Avenue before heading to the National Saddlery Arena, where the animals stay on view until 2 p.m., according to News 9. From there, the herd makes its return march along Agnew Avenue, retracing the route detailed by Stockyards City Main Street. It's a scene that plays out against a backdrop few other American cities can claim: the Oklahoma National Stockyards is considered the last remaining original terminal livestock market in the country still holding active, on-site cattle auctions rather than functioning purely as a museum or tourist attraction, per the Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.
The stockyards themselves are also recognized as the world's largest market for stocker and feeder cattle, with more than 102 million head of livestock having passed through the facility since it opened, according to Oklahoma National Stockyards. While plenty of historic stockyards around the country shut down or converted entirely into real estate and tourism, Oklahoma City's version still runs live auctions every Monday and Tuesday, the organization notes.
Chuckwagon Cooking and a Statewide Beef Showdown
Just south of Ol' Glory Hat Company at 1111 S. Agnew Ave., the Chuck Wagon Camp offers demonstrations of traditional cooking, with samples of cobbler, stew, cornbread and other foods handed out starting at noon, the station's report notes. Nearby, Oklahoma's Best Beef Competition kicks off at 11 a.m., pitting beef producers from across the state against each other for the top prize, with an awards ceremony set for 3 p.m. Visitors can buy $25 wristbands that let them sample competition entries and vote for their favorites, with proceeds benefiting Oklahoma CattleWomen.
That beef competition carries weight beyond the festival grounds. Oklahoma ranks third in the nation in beef cattle inventory, with 5.1 million head generating more than $4.7 billion in cash receipts for the state's beef industry in 2022, according to Oklahoma CattleWomen. The volunteer-led organization has operated for more than 70 years since its founding on March 11, 1955, giving women in the beef industry a voice through education, promotion and legislation, offering youth scholarships, and working alongside groups like the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association and Oklahoma Beef Council to represent ranching families statewide.
Pageant, Performers and a Historic Movie House
At noon, the Little Miss and Mr. Stockyards City Pageant takes the stage at Rodeo Cinema, 2221 Exchange Ave., alongside performances throughout the day from Tanner Fields, Michael and Lela Dalby, Cowboy Jim Garling, Susanne Woolley and Maddox Ross, per the station's report.
Family Activities Fill the Kids Corral
Families with young kids can head to the Kids Corral next to the National Saddlery Arena, where a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting and dummy roping are on offer throughout the day, News 9 reports. The area also features AgVenture Land, which educates children about agriculture, with Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture providing educational activities about agriculture and its importance to the state, according to MetroFamily Magazine.
Shoppers can browse the Made in Oklahoma Market for locally made and produced items, with demonstrations and tastings running throughout the day. The market, located next to Little Joe's Boots, has expanded its vendor lineup this year to include a dedicated wine tasting area set up directly behind the store, per TravelOK.com.
A District Rooted in Oklahoma City's Industrial Past
The festival itself is a long-standing fall tradition, having run for more than two decades, Stockyards City Main Street officials noted in 2025, according to the Oklahoma Farm Report. The district hosting it traces back to October 1910, when Oklahoma City business leaders raised a $300,000 cash bonus to lure the Chicago-based Nelson Morris Company to build a packing house in what was then known as Packingtown, per Stockyards City Main Street.
Organizers are encouraging visitors to explore Stockyards City's restaurants and shops while they're in the neighborhood, News 9 notes. Between the working cattle auctions, a century-old movie house and a beef competition tied to a multibillion-dollar statewide industry, the Stampede gives festivalgoers a chance to see a piece of Oklahoma agriculture that's still very much in operation, not just preserved for show.
