The Livingston Roundup Rodeo, which is Montana’s oldest and has been going since 1924. It takes place at the Park County Fairgrounds in Livingston for four nights around July 4, featuring PRCA events, a top-ten national prize purse, more than 10,000 spectators and fireworks each night. Livingston becomes fully booked and, as a result, some people go south along Paradise Valley towards Gardiner, which is about 53 miles (one hour) away at the north entrance of Yellowstone. If you stay at The Roosevelt Hotel you can combine your visits to the rodeo with a day in the park. Reservations should be made directly through rhyellowstone.com.
When and where is the Livingston Roundup Rodeo?
The Roundup takes place for four nights during July 4 celebrations at the Park County Fairgrounds, located at 46 View Vista Drive in Livingston. In 2026 the event was held from July 1 to 4, with entry opening at 5.30 am. The rodeo started at 8.00 am, and fireworks took place after dark every night. The event is sanctioned by the PRCA and the WPRA and is Montana’s oldest rodeo, having been first held in 1924. The 102nd edition in 2026 had a prize money total that placed it in the top ten percent nationally during the holiday period and attracted crowds of more than ten thousand people. You should check with the organizers for the exact dates in 2027 before making any plans.
What’s it like?
The entire night is devoted to professional rodeo events, including bareback and saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling, tie-down roping and team roping, barrel racing, bull riding, and mutton busting for the children, followed by the finale that everyone stays to see. When the final bull has left the arena, the lights go down, fireworks are launched behind the announcer and Lee Greenwood’s ‘God Bless the USA’ plays over the fairground. Those who have been involved with the event for a long time will say that the crowd breaks out at that point. For many in Park County, the Roundup marks the beginning of summer. Former residents make trips back to the area around this time. It’s important to mention that tickets sell up quickly, so it’s advisable to buy them in advance. The entrance rules are strict, coolers are not allowed, outside food and alcohol are prohibited, dogs are only permitted as service animals, strollers are not permitted, and professional photography is banned.
Dulcey lima / Unsplash
Why base yourself in Gardiner or Paradise Valley?
Livingston is a small town and during the weekend the rodeo and its visitors take over all of the beds that are available. Gardiner is about 53 miles to the south, roughly a hour’s drive along US-89 through Paradise Valley, along the Yellowstone River all the way past Emigrant and Chico. It’s a great natural alternative with availability. The advantage is clear the moment you get there, you’ll stay at the North Entrance to Yellowstone, so you can have a trip to see a rodeo and visit the park over a couple of days. The compromise is the one hour each way to the arena, but in return you get the benefit of having a basecamp at Yellowstone and a room when there are no rooms available in Livingston.
| At a glance | |
| Event | Livingston Roundup Rodeo (Montana’s oldest, since 1924) |
| When | Four nights over July 4 (2026: July 1 to 4 2027) |
| Venue | Park County Fairgrounds, 46 View Vista Drive, Livingston, Montana |
| Gardiner → Livingston | ~53 miles / ~1 hour via US-89 (Paradise Valley) |
| Nightly | Doors 5.30 am · rodeo 8.00 am · fireworks after dark |
Rodeo weekend plus a Yellowstone day
Arrange your itinerary to visit the rodeo and the fireworks in the evening and a visit to Yellowstone during the day if you can’t spare a couple of days. With Gardiner as your base, you can be at the North Entrance in just a few minutes for an early-morning loop, seeing the bison and elk on the Northern Range and the terraces at Mammoth, before heading north up the valley for the evening performance. The journey is part of the enjoyment, since the Absaroka peaks are on one side and the Yellowstone River on the other along the way.
Where to stay: The Roosevelt Hotel
The Roosevelt Hotel. Yellowstone is located a mile from the North Entrance, is owned by women and has strong local ties, offering 75 rooms and five cabins, the majority of the rooms having views of the Yellowstone River or of the park. During a weekend involving a rodeo and a visit to the park it manages to cover its costs in two ways. The hotel provides complimentary coffee and pastries that can be taken for an early circuit of the park, and it has free parking so that the long day can be concluded easily. It is quieter and more available than Livingston itself during the holidays, and it means the entire journey, seeing the fireworks to the north and the geysers to the south, can be completed in a couple of hours.
You should book directly: https://rhyellowstone.com/
Frequently asked questions
At the Park County Fairgrounds, the Livingstone Roundup Rodeo took place from July 1 to 4. These are generally set days, but you should check with the organizer to confirm the exact dates for 2027.
Go about 53 miles north by taking US-89 through Paradise Valley which will take approximately one hour.
Yes. This is the oldest and biggest PRCA rodeo in Montana and books up quickly, which is the reason why a number of visitors head south towards Gardiner. It’s essential to purchase the tickets in advance.
It’s easy. Gardiner is located at the North Entrance, and having this as a base enables you to combine rodeo nights with park days.
Fireworks conclude each night of the Roundup, a practice famously associated with Lee Greenwood’s ‘God Bless the USA’.
Bareback and saddle bronc, steer wrestling, tie-down and team roping, barrel racing, and bull riding, plus mutton bustin’ for kids.
No. Coolers, outside food and alcohol, dogs (except service animals), strollers, and professional cameras aren’t allowed inside the gates.