What the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Is
The Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo has been a Colorado Springs tradition since 1937, and since 1946 its proceeds have supported local military members and their families. The 2026 edition ran Tuesday, July 14 through Saturday, July 18 at the Norris Penrose Event Center, featuring over 200 contestants in a professional rodeo that doubles as the NFR Open at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo.
Performances and Starting Ticket Prices (2026)
| Performance | Starting price |
|---|---|
| Tue, Jul 14, evening | from $25 |
| Wed, Jul 15, evening | from $25 |
| Thu, Jul 16, evening | from $30 |
| Fri, Jul 17, matinee | from $25 |
| Fri, Jul 17, evening | from $45 |
| Sat, Jul 18, matinee | from $30 |
| Sat, Jul 18, evening | from $50 |
Prices exclude taxes. Evening performances start at 7:30 p.m. (gates open at 4 p.m.); matinees start at 12:30 p.m. (gates open at 10 a.m.). Standing room tickets are not sold. Performances sold out the year before.
Seating and Discounts
- Seating: box seats (closest to the action), grandstand, end zone (in front of the roping chutes) and premium grandstand.
- Kids 12 and under: $15 off adult regular or end zone grandstand prices. Kids 2 and under are free on a lap. The kids' discount does not apply to premium grandstand.
- Military: $5 off adult grandstand tickets Tuesday to Thursday evenings and both matinees; $2 off Friday and Saturday evenings. A military ID is required.
- First responders: $5 off adult grandstand for Thursday evening. Educators: $5 off adult grandstand for the Friday matinee. Employee ID required.
- Groups: grandstand only, Tuesday to Thursday evenings and the Friday matinee. Groups of 20 to 35 get $3 off, 36 or more get $5 off. Group tickets cannot be bought online; call 719-635-1101.
What Else Happens
- Mutton Bustin' for children ages 4 to 9 weighing 50 pounds or less. Prelim rides cost $20 and need no pre-registration (4 to 6:30 p.m. on evenings, 10 to 11:30 a.m. on matinee days); finals take place at each performance. It is part of the Rocky Mountain State Games, July 17 to 19.
- PPOBR Fan Zone before the rodeo: pony rides, a petting zoo, face painting, goat roping and vendors, plus a mechanical bull with its own registration and waiver.
- Free drone show on Thursday, July 16, after the 7:30 p.m. performance. It lasts 14 minutes and celebrates America's 250th and Colorado's 150th.
- Coors Roadhouse Saloon: live music and dancing after the rodeo, ages 21 and up.
Where, Parking and Tickets
Norris Penrose Event Center, 1045 Lower Gold Camp Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80905. All fan parking on the grounds is paid: $20 per vehicle in advance or $30 on site, first-come and limited. Parking must be bought with a ticket. A free park-and-ride shuttle runs from the garage at 50 East Costilla (Costilla and Tejon) every 15 to 20 minutes: 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for matinees, and 4:30 to 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings. From 21st Street, head east on Lower Gold Camp Road; from 8th Street, head west.
Tickets are sold only through pikespeakorbust.org and norrispenrose.com. Other sellers are likely scams or unverified resellers.
Questions
Can my kid ride a sheep?
Mutton Bustin' is open to ages 4 to 9 and 50 pounds or less, at $20 for prelim rides.
Who do I call for group tickets?
719-635-1101.
Official Links
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- The Pioneer Rodeo
Three-day rodeo, August 14 to 16, 2026, at the Norris Penrose Event Center.
Colorado Springs, CO | Organizer: Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Official event details - Colorado Cattlemen's Association Mid-Winter Conference
Winter policy conference of the Colorado Cattlemen's Association at the Denver Marriott West in Golden, set for Dec. 14-15, 2026.
- National Western Stock Show
Sixteen-day stock show and rodeo at the National Western Complex in Denver, with open breed shows, an auction of junior livestock champions, pro rodeos and horse shows. The 2027 dates are posted.
- Colorado State Fair & Rodeo
Eleven-day state fair and rodeo at the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo. Fair organizers have announced Aug. 27 to Sept. 6, 2027; the 2026 fair ran Aug. 28 to Sept. 7.
- Western National Roundup
Four-day 4-H and FFA event in Denver with livestock and horse judging, quiz bowl, public speaking and parliamentary procedure contests. Held each year; the most recent dates were Jan. 7-10, 2026.
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.