Fifteen years after the Brazos Valley Fair & Rodeo began as a regional event, organizers say the annual celebration has grown into a statewide draw and expect this year’s event to continue that momentum.
At a glance
The 2026 fair and rodeo will bring livestock exhibitors, rodeo competitors, concerts, vendors and youth competitions to the Brazos County Expo Complex Oct. 23-25.
The event also will host the United Professional Rodeo Association Finals, bringing cowboys and cowgirls from across the country to Bryan-College Station.
“[Attendance has] gone up each year,” Fair Manager Avery Fisher told Community Impact. “I would say that this year, we’re going to hit a breaking point.”
How we got here
The fair started in 2012 as a regional event serving eight counties. Over the years, its youth competitions have expanded to include participants from across Texas.
Scholarships were first awarded in 2013. By 2017, more than $45,000 had been awarded.
With 129 sponsors in 2025, the fair and rodeo reportedly doled out $37,700 in scholarships and $23,500 in award money.
Since its first event, the fair has awarded more than $150,000 in scholarships, according to its website and Fisher said organizers want to continue increasing the amount of money going toward scholarships.
“We want to continue to grow that,” Fisher said.
This growth can be seen in the fair’s livestock show, which is expected to bring more than 500 young exhibitors to the area this year, Fisher said. Competitions also include livestock judging, public speaking, agricultural robotics, welding, woodworking, creative arts and other events.
Growing challenges
Fisher said the fair’s growth has created a new challenge: space.
"Not having enough space to have all of our events happening at once here at the Brazos County Expo,” she said. “It’s a great problem to have.”
Organizers are looking at ways to better schedule events and make use of the available space as participation continues to increase.
This year also marks the first time the fair will be tracking hotel stays and other information that could help organizers better measure its economic impact.
Fisher said she expects the UPRA Finals and the growing livestock show to bring additional visitors who will spend money at local hotels, restaurants and businesses, but the fair does not yet have historical economic data to compare those effects.
The projections
The 15th anniversary is an important milestone for the fair, but Fisher said organizers see plenty of room for growth.
“We are still a baby fair,” she said..
Future plans could include additional seating in the rodeo arena, large video screens so supporters can follow the action and more ways for visitors to experience the fair without purchasing a rodeo ticket.
The rodeo is also being broadcast on the Cowboy Channel, giving the local event a broader audience.
Looking ahead
The 2026 fair will feature:
Concerts from Randall King on Friday, Randy Rogers Band on Saturday and Garrett Talamantes on Sunday
Carnival rides
Livestock show
Agricultural exhibits and petting zoo
Vendors and other attractions will run throughout the weekend
The UPRA Finals will be held at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 23 and 24 and at 2:30 p.m. Oct. 25.
For Fisher, the anniversary is less about looking back than building on what organizers have created since 2012.
