Surrey’s famous rodeo and fair returns to the Cloverdale Fairgrounds May long weekend.

The Cloverdale Rodeo is celebrating its 78th anniversary and the Cloverdale Country Fair is celebrating its 135th.

Kathy Sheppard, president of the Cloverdale Rodeo and Exhibition Association (CREA), said she’s looking forward to welcoming everyone to the Fairgrounds again. She added there are a ton of new things happening.

“I’m just super excited to see everything come together,” Sheppard said. “Our sales are about two-and-a-half weeks ahead of schedule this year. The weather is looking great. The new Thursday night kickoff concert is going to be fantastic!”

Along with expanding to a fifth day (Thursday) with the new kickoff concert and open Fairgrounds, several other new attractions are making their debut: Rodeo Sneak-a-Peak, a drone show, a rodeo tailgate party, the Backstretch Action Zone, kid-focused attractions, free skating and mini golf, and many others.

Sheppard noted everyone with CREA is excited about it because the new attractions represent a collaboration. Half of the new ones were ideas that came from the rodeo association, the other half were ideas that came from the public.

“It’s fantastic that the community is supporting us and adding their input to the event,” she said.

“We’re just as excited about everything new that’s happening this year as we are with the new partnerships.”

Two such collaborations are with Evergreen Herbs and Heppell’s Potato Corporation. Both are delivering the Evergreen Herbs & Heppell Potato Mini Farm. It will be located outside Farm Friendz. The mini farm is in keeping with the rodeo and fair’s goal of educating people on the farm to table pathway. Surrey Eagles owners Ron and TJ Brar own Evergreen Herbs and Tyler Heppell owns Heppell’s Potato Corporation. (Heppell started the wildly popular Ugly Potato Day—now held on the Cloverdale Fairgrounds.)

Another new event that is re-emerging—last held more than 40-odd years ago—is demolition derby. And CREA is also adding in a motocross attraction.

“It’s just great to have (derby) back. It’s going to be amazing. And same with the motocross. We saw motocross at another event last summer and reached out to them … so we’re thrilled that they’ll be here,” Sheppard explained. “They’ll all be in the Backstretch Action Zone, so there’ll be tons to do in there.”

Included in that area, alongside motocross and the derby, will be the West Coast Lumberjack Show, All Star Wrestling, and others.

CREA works hard each year, Sheppard emphasized, to add in new events and features to the rodeo and fair, both expanding and elevating one of B.C.’s most iconic events. She noted they will continue to do so for all future events.

“You’re getting so much value for your Fairgrounds admission ticket,” she said. “You could spend all day on the ‘Grounds going to the different stages and seeing the different shows for no additional cost.”

The familiar May long weekend event (May 14-18, expanded by one day this year) unofficially opens with the Cloverdale Bed Races on Wednesday, May 13 at about 6 p.m. That is followed by the new Thursday night official kick-off concert—this year featuring headliners Cooper Alan and Brett Kissel. The rodeo parade will roll at 10 a.m. on May 16 (Saturday morning) and will include floats, marching bands, dance groups, clowns, cowboys and cowgirls on horses, and some classic automobiles.

The rodeo will feature roughstock rodeo events—bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, bull riding—along with ladies barrel racing, specialty acts, mutton bustin’, and rodeo clown acts.

There will be five competitions in the Stetson Bowl for the 2026 rodeo: May 15 @ 7:30 p.m.; May 16 @ 2 p.m. and @ 7:30 p.m.; May 17 @ 2 p.m.; and May 18 @ 2 p.m. (finals).

Ninety-six of the world’s best cowboys and cowgirls will battle for more than $300,000 in prize money. And there will also be autograph sessions with rodeo athletes after each competition.

“Rodeo Weekend,” as it is known locally, also promises visitors a whole slate of other events too, including: live musical acts and entertainment, food trucks, midway rides and games, along with a multitude of other feature attractions. Many fan faves are returning this year, along with the livestock display, the Indigenous Village, and the “Buckaroo Barn” in the Cloverdale Rec. Centre (formerly called the Kids Zone)—among many other features.

Sheppard also wanted to acknowledge the army of volunteers who help make the rodeo a success. More than 450 people will help out in some way over the weekend and she added CREA couldn’t do it without them.

“We’re also partnering with Storehouse (Community Hub Society),” she added. “They’re coming back to volunteer with us again this year, so we’re really excited about that too.”

The first Cloverdale Rodeo was held in 1945 and the first Country Fair was held in 1888.

Tickets for the rodeo are on sale now. Visit cloverdalerodeo.com to grab some.