Rio Hotel & Casino to celebrate NFR Week with Rio Round-Up
8 October 2026(PRESS RELEASE) -- Rio Hotel & Casino will bring the excitement of National Finals Rodeo week with the return of the Rio Round-Up, running Thursday, 3 December, through Saturday, 12 December, at the Rio Event Stage. The 10-day celebration features free nightly NFR watch parties, live country music, western-themed games, sponsor giveaways and interactive entertainment. General admission festivities kick off daily at 4 p.m. before the rodeo broadcast and continue well into the night for fans of all ages.
Each evening, fans can gather at Rio Event Stage inside Masquerade Village to cheer on every ride during the live NFR telecast. World Champion Rodeo Clown Matt Merritt returns to host the nightly festivities, entertaining the crowd throughout the broadcast with audience participation, sponsor giveaways, interactive games and his signature humor.
The nightly live country music lineup features:
- Alex Key — Thursday, December 3
- Matt Farris — Friday, December 4
- ATJ & Regresso — Saturday, December 5
- Nathan Dean & The Damn Band — Sunday, December 6
- Kristen Merlin — Monday, December 7
- Gunnar Latham — Tuesday, December 8
- Gage Gardiner — Wednesday, December 9
- The Martin Boys — Thursday, December 10
- Neon Prophets — Friday, December 11
- Western Fusion Band — Saturday, December 12
Late-night entertainment continues after the headline sets, featuring DJ Du on 3, 4, 7, 8 and 9 December, and Rodeo Rockstar Redstreak Revival on 5, 6, 10, 11 and 12 December. In addition, country music fans can catch CMA and ACM award winner Tracy Lawrence live in concert for a special one-night performance during NFR week, performing career-defining hits such as "Time Marches On," "Alibis" and "Paint Me a Birmingham." Tickets are sold separately through Ticketmaster and availability is limited.
Guests looking to elevate their evening can reserve VIP seating starting at 4 p.m. daily. Each VIP package includes preassigned seating with direct stage and screen views for the entire evening, along with a rodeo beverage bucket featuring select Molson Coors products, including Coors Banquet. Premium beverage upgrades will be available for purchase, and guests must be 21 or older to consume alcohol.
Rio Hotel & Casino will also provide access to complimentary round-trip NFR shuttle service running daily from 3-12 December. Pre-event departures operate from 4 to 6 p.m. out of the Rio Convention Center parking lot, with return service running from 8:15 to 9:45 p.m. dropping off at the main entrance. In addition, guests can browse Stetson Country Christmas on property, featuring hundreds of western lifestyle vendors offering apparel, boots, hats and gifts.