GUIDE: Montgomery County Fair and Rodeo kicks off March 23

March 31-April 1: Barbecue cook-off weekend

March 24-25: Concert and rodeo weekend

March 23-April 2: Carnival

Special Days

March 27-28: Kid's day, dedicated for children in pre-k through 4th grade

March 24: Sunshine day show, dedicated to the special needs community

March 28: Senior day, dedicated to community members age 55 and older

April 2: El Dia de La Familia Hispana day, dedicated to the Hispanic community

Carnival

The carnival will be cashless this year. Guests will purchase a pre-loaded armband to gain access to rides, games and food in the carnival area. Armbands can be reloaded at kiosks located around the fairgrounds or through the Magic Money app, which can be downloaded on any Apple or Android devices.

Carnival pass options include an armband for all 10 days of the fair and carnival ($85), a single-day pass for use Fri.-Sun. ($35), and a school discount pass for use Mon.-Thu. ($25). School day coupons can be found on the Montgomery County Fair and Rodeo's website.

The carnival will be open weekdays 4-11 p.m. Mon.-Thu., 4 p.m.-midnight Fridays, 11 a.m.-midnight Saturdays and noon-11 p.m. Sundays.

Concerts

General admission tickets include access to live concerts.

March 24: Drake Milligan, 9:30 p.m.

March 25: Pat Green, 9:30 p.m.

Tickets

General admission tickets are $10 online or $15 at the gate for ages 12 and older. Kids ages 5-11 are $5. Kids under 5 years are free. Tickets are valid for one-time use during either weekend of the fair. Ticket price includes admission to the rodeo and concerts March 24-25.

El Dia de La Familia Hispana is April 2. Adult tickets are $20 online or $25 at the gate. Children 11 and younger enter for free.

To purchase tickets, visit www.mcfa.saffire.com/p/tickets.com.

Parking

General public parking is $5 on weekends. On-site parking is cash only. Parking can be purchased online. Parking is free Mon.-Thu.

Rodeos

Youth Rodeo: March 24-26, 3-6 p.m.

The Youth Rodeo includes mutton bustin, a stick horse race, goat ribbon pulling and cash cow. Drawings are random for actual participation for the three event rounds.

CPRA Rodeo: March 24-25, 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

Sanctioned by the Cowboy's Professional Rodeo Association, the CPRA Rodeo will follow youth events.

Ranch Rodeo: March 26, 1:30-6 p.m.

The Ranch Rodeo is a tribute to Texas heritage and promotes western lifestyle by featuring competition between teams showcasing actual duties of cowboys on real working ranches.

Bud Light BBQ Cook-Off

The bbq cook off is the second weekend of the fair. Teams from all over the county will compete for the "Best of" title.

March 31: BBQ cook off starts at 2 p.m. with a washer pitching contest at 7 p.m.

April 1: BBQ cook off starts at 8 a.m. with a cornhole tournament following at 10 a.m. Awards will be given at 6:30 p.m. before live entertainment takes the stage at 8 p.m.

Other things to do

Adult shows: March 26, 11:30 a.m. The Montgomery County Fair Non-Professional Adults Shows are open to all residents of Montgomery County over 18 years old. Awards are given for categories including home economics, fine arts, needlecraft, handicraft, horticulture and photography.

Best of Montgomery County: March 28, 7 p.m. The Montgomery County Team Roping Championship will include the top 12 headers and heelers.

Dos Chicas Barrel Racing: March 22, 10 a.m. Barrel racing performances.

Live stock judging: March 29, 9 a.m.

Pet parade: March 28, 6 p.m.