Historic Pendleton Round-Up returns in September

Pendleton Round-Up organizers gear up to return this September to northeast Oregon, after missing out on the event last year for just the third time since 1910.

The week-long celebration in and around 1330 SW Court Ave. in Pendleton opens Saturday, Sept. 11, with the Dress Up Parade before the Kick-Off Concert at Happy Canyon Arena that evening. Monday and Tuesday feature team roping and barrel racing events, in addition to the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association Xtreme Bulls Tour Finale the same evening.

Pat Reay, publicity director for the Pendleton Round-Up, said this is the first year the roundup will host the PRCA event, after hosting Professional Bull Riders events in the past. The top 24 PRCA bull riders will compete for a championship at the Pendleton Round-Up Stadium.

Pendleton Round-Up performances will run from Wednesday, Sept. 15, through Saturday, Sept. 18. The Happy Canyon Night Show is set for every night Wednesday through Saturday at the Happy Canyon arena, with the Westward Ho! Parade set for Friday afternoon in Pendleton.

Saturday marks the Wrangler National Patriot Day from 1:15 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. before the final night of the Round-Up. Reay said the only other time the Round-Up has missed a show since the first performance in 1910 was in 1942 and 1943 due to World War II.

Reay said he expects a lot of contestants coming out to participate after missing out on events last summer. The seven-time Large Outdoor Rodeo of the Year winner is a unique venue with its grass arena that is rich with tradition.

“It’s the Happy Canyon Light Show, it’s Goldie’s Bar and music afterwards, it’s a week-long event and the community really embraces it and supports it and the businesses rely on it,” Reay said.

He said he believes everyone is ready to get back to some sort of normalcy and normalcy in September means the Pendleton Round-Up. Reay said he expects a traditional show that visitors are used to seeing at the Pendleton Round-Up Stadium.

While the event typically averages about 700 participants, Reay said he wouldn’t be surprised to see the event far surpass those numbers this year. For both the Happy Canyon and Pendleton Round-Up Queens and courts, the next few months involve a lot of parades, rodeos and celebrations to attend.

For event staff, it’s stadium prep, contract and personnel discussions and basic event planning as normal. Reay said the committee will begin rounding up the “army” of volunteers it takes to host an event like this, as the Round-Up doesn’t happen without the 1,000-plus volunteers who help out.

For more information and tickets as they become available, visit https://www.pendletonroundup.com.