Vacations Blog

The Cody Nite Rodeo Arena

Of all the places we visited during our Epic Summer Road Trip, one of our favorite towns was Cody, Wyoming. Cody is located 53 miles from the East Entrance into Yellowstone National Park, making it an ideal jumping-off point for day trips into the park. But there are plenty of interesting things to do in the town itself, making it a great vacation destination in its own right.

A cowboy at the Cody Nite Rodeo, hanging on!

The second night we were in town, we attended the Cody Nite Rodeo. Since Cody is appropriately named “The Rodeo Capital of the World”, we figured this was one event we couldn’t miss. This rodeo is performed every single evening from June 1st through August 31st, every year since 1938.

A contest of wills. The horse and rider won.

The tickets are $18 for adults, $8 for children. We bought our tickets right at the gate, and sat “anywhere we liked” in the stadium. The event started off with the National Anthem and a prayer. The first event was bronc riding (big cowboys and little cowboys), followed by calf roping (cowboys and cowgirls), barrel racing (big cowgirls and little cowgirls), and bull riding (big cowboys). The announcer and the Head Clown on Duty (don’t know what else to call him) bantered back and forth and told truly AWFUL jokes.

Bronc Bustin'.

They held a contest for all the kids under twelve in the audience. The kids lined up in the middle of the arena, and a few calves with ribbons tied to their tails were let loose. The first kids to grab the ribbons from the calves and give them to the Head Clown received a prize.

Kids lined up in the Cody Nite Rodeo arena, preparing to grab ribbons from scurrying calves' tails.

Gates open at 7:00 p.m., and the Nite Rodeo runs from 8:00 p.m. to about 10:00 p.m. The arena is located on the west side of Cody on Rt. 20 (along the road to Yellowstone National Park), about two miles from the Buffalo Bill Historical Center. There is unlimited free parking and general admission seating.

A cowgirl, preparing for her turn at roping.

The arena also hosts the Buffalo Bill Cody Stampede Rodeo, which enjoyed its 90th anniversary in July. Contestants themselves call it “Cowboy Christmas” – the competition is for the largest purses, riding the best stock available. The Stampede is hosted every year around the 4th of July – the Nite Rodeo was so much fun, I’m sure the Stampede must be spectacular. I hope to see it, some year.