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No ifs, ands, or bucks about it, Nashville is in for a spectacular three-night event with the arrival of the Music City Rodeo. As the city’s first and only PRCA Pro Rodeo, the event is expected to draw more than 30,000 fans to Bridgestone Arena for an action-packed experience that brings together the best of professional rodeo and country music.
Running May 29 – 31, fans can expect seven riveting rodeo events each day as some of the world’s best cowboys and cowgirls face off in pulse pounding, head-to-head competition. Events include bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, tie-down roping, barrel racing, and, of course, bull riding. There will also be plenty of family friendly events (think clowns, mutton bustin’, and Rodeo Queens) that add to the full pageantry of rodeo at this one-of-a-kind event.
In true Music City fashion, each night will conclude with an incredible arena concert with headliners including Reba McEntire (performing May 29), Jelly Roll (performing May 30), and Tim McGraw (performing May 31). The three country music superstars also serve as founding members of Music City Rodeo.
“For eight decades, Nashville’s music stars have been the soundtrack to America’s iconic rodeos — country music and rodeo go hand in hand. So, it was time to bring the magic of the rodeo home to Nashville, and I’m thrilled to be bringing it here,” says Tim McGraw.
“It’s no secret that rodeo is in my blood, and I’m thrilled to be a part of starting a new Nashville tradition. Country music and rodeo coming together in Music City, what a perfect combination…I just knew I had to be part of it,” Reba McEntire adds.
Making this inaugural event even more special is the fact that the Music City Rodeo will be the first time Nashville has ever hosted its own major Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) rodeo. The PRCA is the oldest and largest professional rodeo-sanctioning body in the world and is recognized as the leader in professional rodeo. PRCA Pro Rodeo events include both roughstock (bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, and bull riding) and timed (steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping, and barrel racing) events. In roughstock events, contestants ride for eight exhilarating seconds using just one hand. Whereas in timed events, the goal is to post the fastest time possible. Both make for thrilling competition followed by performances from some of the biggest names in country music for a spectacle that could only come to life in Music City.
“As a Nashville native, this felt like a chance to be a part of a history-making event for the city. I have vivid memories when it was announced in Nashville that we were getting a hockey team with the Predators, or a football team with the Titans...and I watched Bridgestone Arena be built from the ground up. Headlining Music City Rodeo in my hometown as a part of the first rodeo brought to town feels like the same type of milestone,” says Jelly Roll.
A portion of all event proceeds will go towards supporting Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt’s mission of providing world-class pediatric healthcare and research, benefiting patients and their families. Additional event information, tickets, and scheduling updates can be found on Music City Rodeo’s website.