Pendleton is home to one of the best-known rodeos in the American West, which has been held since 1910. Scheduled annually for the second week in September, the Pendleton Round-Up features dozens of events during its eight-day run, including parades, concerts, cowboy shows, children’s events, beer garden and the Happy Canyon Outdoor Indian Pageant & Wild West Show.
All manner of rodeo events occur throughout the event in the Happy Canyon Arena. For more information, contact (541) 276-2553 or visit www.pendletonroundup.com.
If your group is interested in attending, you certainly won’t be able to find lodging in Pendleton itself, so (this week only), plan on staying in Umatilla, Milton-Freewater, Walla Walla, or even Washington’s Tri-Cities. However, right across the street from the Arena, year-round you can visit the excellent Round-Up & Happy Canyon Hall of Fame, which is chock-full of exhibits ranging from a full-sized teepee to delicate beadwork.
The site features two floors containing photos and memorabilia of champion cowboys, Round-Up and Happy Canyon Queens, as well as countless examples of the prize-winning craftsmanship of master saddle makers, silversmiths and leatherworkers. For more information, contact (541) 278-0815 or visit www.pendletonhalloffame.com.
Hall of Fame portraits of champion cowboys
Pendleton Round-Up Arena
