Rodeo Austin With Kids: What You Need To Know

Attending the rodeo with your kids can be easy and fun- as long as you know all the hot tips before you go! Is the wristband worth it? Do I have to pay for parking? Are the shows included in the price? We will tell you! If you plan on going to Rodeo Austin with your kids, here’s what you need to know.

Rodeo Austin With Kids

Address

9100 Decker Lake Rd, Austin

Dates and Hours: March 10-25, 2023

March 10, 2023 fairgrounds open at 4 p.m.
March 11-25, 2023 fairgrounds open at 10 a.m. daily.
ProRodeo beings at 7 p.m. Mon-Sat and 3 p.m. on Sundays

Carnival Hours of Operation
Friday, March 10: 4:00 p.m. to midnight
Saturday, March 11 – Sunday, March 19: 11 a.m. – midnight
Monday, March 20 – Friday, March 24: 4 -11 p.m.
Saturday, March 25: 11 a.m. – midnight

Where To Park

Cars that enter to purchase tickets are subject to a parking fee of $15. You can pay cash or credit. You can purchase in advance online. Public parking is accessible through GATE 3 and GATE 4. DO NOT PARK AT GATES 1 OR 2 IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A SPECIAL PERMIT (THAT IS DIFFERENT FROM PREPAID PARKING!) Rideshares can use GATE 1 in Lot G5.

Rodeo Austin With Kids

Admission and Tickets

Get tickets for concerts, fairgrounds, carnival, and parking here or on site at the ticket windows. Admission to the fairgrounds is $5-10. Season passes are $15-30. These admission prices will get you into the Rodeo fairgrounds, but you will have to pay extra for things like riding the carnival rides. Unlimited rides wristbands are $40. Early-bird wristbands are $25 and After-School wristbands are $20 (both are select days only). Concert tickets are also sold separately. For ticket deals and discounts, go here. Kids 2 and under are FREE to enter the fairgrounds, but will have to pay for rides at the Carnival.

Did you know that there’s one way to get into the Rodeo for FREE?! It’s during the kids’ Rodeo Rumble on March 11, 2023. The Rodeo Austin Rodeo Rumble Kids’ 1K Fun Run is a FREE event for children ages 12 and held on the Fairgrounds. After they run the race, you are welcome to stay and enjoy the rodeo for free the rest of the day.

The Animals

Chances are your kids will want to see some animals when you come to the Rodeo! The pig races are always a big hit, as are the livestock exhibits. Don’t miss the pony rides at the Petting Zoo area. The ProRodeo is daily at 7 p.m. (3 p.m. on Sundays) and is where you can watch the main Rodeo competition like bull riding and mutton busting.

Carnival

There are over 80 rides and games your kids will no doubt want to experience during your time at the Rodeo. They sell all the typical fried and sugary fair foods as well. You must have a fairground ticket to enter the carnival, but do not need a carnival wristband to enter the carnival area. You only need the wristband if you plan on riding the rides. Most rides are $3-4 each if you do not want to purchase a wristband. The wristbands would not be a good purchase for kids smaller than 36″ (you might not really get your money’s worth). Kids under 36″ will only have about 8 rides to ride for their height.

For those kids, or kids who just want to play games, you might consider purchasing a Magic Money card instead of a wristband. To ride individual rides or play games, you must purchase a Magic Money card. You can buy the cards at kiosks in the fairground or through the app. You can also use the cards to purchase food and beverages throughout the fairgrounds. Cards are $2 but reloads are free. You can also use them for pony rides at the petting zoo. Save your cards for next year (the credits will still be good).

Food/Drinks

Vendors will accept Magic Money cards and credit/debit cards. Here’s the list of all the food vendors this year.

You Need These Tips

• They will check your bags upon arrival. Outside food or drink is not allowed (except for baby items). Coolers not allowed.
• No clear bag policy.
• Pets not allowed.
• Strollers are allowed and encouraged! There will be a lot of walking and your kids will complain (a lot). The ground is mostly paved, but some areas aren’t or are very bumpy. We were fine with an umbrella stroller but a jogging stroller definitely would have been easier.
• If you go on a hot day, make sure you sunscreen everyone, wear hats, and drink plenty of water!
• Most vendors will accept credit cards this year, but it would be smart to bring a bit of cash as well, just in case.

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