Celebrate America’s 250th birthday at the Tampa Bay Rodeo & Family Festival, presented by Bartow Ford, on Friday and Saturday, April 10-11, at the Hillsborough County Fairgrounds. Tampa’s thrill-packed spring tradition delivers two action-packed nights of full rodeo competition, featuring bull riding, bronco busting, barrel racing, calf roping and more. The event also honors the brave men and women in law enforcement, fire and rescue who serve and safeguard our communities.
In honor of local police officers, firefighters and rescue personnel, a charitable donation will be made to Off-Road United, a nonprofit foundation dedicated to supporting the well-being of first responders in the Tampa Bay area. Complimentary tickets have also been distributed through local first responder organizations, which will also participate on-site with vendor booths. Blue-line and red-line flags will fly high above the entrance in tribute to those who serve this community.
This year’s Family Festival expands its animal experience with more than 100 animals and an exciting new attraction. Camels, goats — including more than 20 babies — pigs, a monkey and an elephant join lions and tigers as part of the festival’s growing animal lineup. New this year, the Tiger Encounter offers a live viewing and feeding experience where guests can learn about tiger behavior and conservation from trained handlers. Together, the animals create a lively attraction that gives families a chance to get up close to majestic creatures from around the world.
Guests can arrive early for the Family Festival to enjoy delicious food and interactive fun. Festival favorites include corn dogs, barbecue, tacos, funnel cake and hot-pressed Cuban sandwiches paired with refreshing beverages or ice-cold beer. Visitors can test their skills on the mechanical bull, try ax throwing, soar on the bungee trampoline, race down the giant slide and challenge friends to cornhole and giant Jenga. Guests can also climb aboard a monster truck or even take a ride on a camel.
When the sun goes down, the spotlight shifts to the rodeo arena, where superfans can upgrade their tickets to the new VIP Rodeo Section. VIP tickets include admission and premium reserved bleacher seating near the bucking chutes, along with exclusive access to a private bar, a Luxe restroom trailer, complimentary snacks and sponsor giveaways (while supplies last), additional security and a designated nonsmoking area. Gates open at 4:30 p.m., and the rodeo competition begins at 7 p.m.
The Tampa Bay Rodeo & Family Festival, presented by Bartow Ford, is a community event featuring local vendors and area sponsors.
For more information and tickets, please visit https://tamparodeo.com/.
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