2 months to go: planning and prep on track for 2026 Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair
Published 10:00 pm Wednesday, March 11, 2026
Planning and preparation for the 2026 Cloverdale Rodeo and Country Fair is nearly complete.
One of the biggest events in Surrey and the Fraser Valley, Rodeo Weekend, as it is known locally, is just over two months away.
Kathy Sheppard, Cloverdale Rodeo and Exhibition Association (CREA) president, said all that’s left now is to dot the i’s and cross the t’s on a few remaining things.
“We are ready to go,” Sheppard told the Cloverdale Reporter at a special 2026 rodeo and fair launch event. “We just had a production meeting with the whole group and everything is looking really great. We’re happy with the team and the way everything has been planned. We couldn’t have asked for a better lead up to rodeo.”
Part of that planning and prep, she noted, was to schedule the highest number of artists and acts ever to play at the rodeo and fair. She said there are more than 100 artists booked to perform on one of 10 stages over the now five-day Rodeo Weekend—May 14-18.
Sheppard also said six artists that are scheduled to play are up for music awards in April.
“They could be award winners by the time the rodeo arrives,” she added. “Our artist lineup is spectacular.”
Sheppard said she’s excited to see Cooper Alan when he opens the 135th Cloverdale Country Fair and the 78th Cloverdale Rodeo on Thursday, May 14, the first Thursday concert in more than a dozen years.
She was also happy to announce the return of something the fair hasn’t seen in nearly 50 years.
“We’re bringing back demolition derby,” she revealed. “We haven’t had a demolition derby since the ’70s. We’ll hold that in the parking lot near the back stretch, just down from the Longhorn.”
Many of the most popular attractions are returning, including: the ever-favourite midway, BMX riders, All-Star Wrestling, the West Coast Logger Show, among others. The Brick Corral is back, the Kidz Zone, Farm friendz, and many other attractions.
The Indigenous Village also returns for the 2026 rodeo and fair and will be bigger than ever.
“We’ll have six teepees this year,” Sheppard noted. “So, that’s being expanded. The stage there is huge and we’ll have a ton of great artists performing on the Indigenous Stage.”
She said the venue “Rodeo Reds,” the brainchild of rodeo producer Kynan Vine, will be back as well. (And Vine is back too.) Although it will take a slightly different form this year, getting “true to its roots” as it will a be smaller, more intimate venue than last year. As such it will be located on the other side of the Longhorn, out in front of the Coverall Building.
“Rodeo Reds will be open all day and people will be able to do line dancing, two-stepping. There’ll be a band in there and it’ll be open to all ages until 10 o’clock.”
Last but not least, Sheppard said, tons of the top rodeo competitors and point getters in North America will be vying for prize money in the Stetson Bowl over five rodeo performances.
“There’s so much to see at the rodeo and fair,” she added. “And the great part is that most attractions are all included with your Fairgrounds admission ticket.”
For more info, or to grab some tickets, visit cloverdalerodeo.com.
Early bird tickets are now on sale until March 31.