Ramona Rodeo 2026

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Dust hangs in the arena lights like a second atmosphere. Eight seconds on the back of a bull feels like eight minutes when you're the one holding on, and like two seconds when you're the one screaming from the stands.

The Ramona Rodeo has been filling Fred Grand Arena for 45 years — a three-night celebration of Western heritage in the hills east of San Diego where ranchers and families have been returning since the kids in the stands were small enough to sit on a fence rail. Bull riding, barrel racing, team roping, and a midway atmosphere that smells like funnel cake and leather.

What makes Ramona different from a touring rodeo: this is a community rodeo. The ranchers know each other. The kids compete alongside the pros. The announcer calls people by name. It's the kind of event where a stranger feels like a guest, not an audience member. The 45th anniversary makes it the oldest continuously running rodeo in East County.

August 27–29, 2026. Fred Grand Arena, 421 Aqua Ln, Ramona, CA 92065. Gates open at 5 PM. General admission $35, VIP $125. Tickets at ramonarodeo.com.