Mississippi
Dixie National Rodeo 2026: Your guide to shows, concerts, parade, more
Thousands travel to the Dixie National Rodeo by horse and buggy. Hear why
Mt. Olive Dixie National Wagon Train’s Wagon Master Tommy Sullivan talks about the wagon train tradition during their warm-up ride.
Every year, the Dixie National Rodeo takes over the fairgrounds in Jackson, bringing rodeo shows, livestock competitions, a marketplace, an outdoor expo and more.
The festivities for the 61st Dixie National Rodeo begin on Feb. 2 and conclude on Feb. 22.
A full schedule is available on the Dixie National Rodeo website.
Rodeo shows
- Where: Mississippi Coliseum, 1207 Mississippi St.
- Rodeo shows will take place in the Mississippi Coliseum up to twice a day from Feb. 13 to Feb. 21, with a break on Monday, Feb. 16, and Tuesday, Feb. 17.
- The Dixie National Rodeo, dubbed the “Greatest Show on Dirt,” will return with familiar favorites, including bull riding and calf roping.
- Admission prices range from $25 to $50, with children under 18 months getting in free.
- Tickets are available for purchase on the day of the shows at the Coliseum or in advance online through the Dixie National Rodeo website and Ticketmaster.
Following are the dates and times of this year’s rodeo shows:
- 7 p.m., Feb. 13
- 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Feb. 14
- 2 p.m., Feb. 15
- 7 p.m., Feb. 18
- 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Feb. 21
Concerts
- Where: Mississippi Coliseum, 1207 Mississippi St.
The concerts in the Mississippi Coliseum that follow each rodeo show have featured big names in the past, including Morgan Wallen, Little Big Town and more.
Country music icon Tanya Tucker will perform at the 61st annual Dixie National Rodeo along with other long-time country favorites and some up-and-comers.
Following is the concert lineup for the 2026 Dixie National Rodeo:
- Ole 60: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb.13
- Bayker Blankenship: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14
- Joe Nichols: 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 15
- Tanya Tucker: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18
- Waylon Wyatt: 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19
- Muscadine Bloodline: 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 20
- Mark Chesnutt: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 21
- Tickets are separated by concert and also include admission to the accompanying rodeo show. Concerts start right after each rodeo show.
Dixie National Parade
Every year, the Dixie National Parade helps kick off the rodeo festivities. Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson will lead the procession of antique cars, floats, marching bands and the Dixie National Wagon Train.
The parade will begin at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 14 on the corner of Mississippi Street and Jefferson Street and follow a mile-long route ending at the corner of Amite Street and Jefferson Street.
This year, the parade’s theme is “For Love of Country,” which corresponds with America250, a nonpartisan celebration honoring the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Guests are encouraged to wear red, white and blue.
Dixie National Marketplace
- Where: Mississippi Trade Mart, 1200 Mississippi St.
Before enjoying the rodeo shows, visitors can browse a multitude of vendors selling cowboy Western wear, leather goods and even tractors in the Mississippi Trade Mart.
The Dixie National Marketplace will open for the first weekend of the rodeo.
Following is the Dixie National Marketplace schedule this year:
- 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Feb. 13
- 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Feb. 14
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Feb. 15
Ag and Outdoor Expo
- Where: Mississippi Trade Mart, 1200 Mississippi St.
During the second weekend of the rodeo, the Mississippi Ag and Outdoor Expo will take over the Trade Mart.
The largest outdoor expo in the state, this year’s display will include fishing and hunting tools, UTVs, ATVs, tractors, farming equipment and more at special pricing.
The Mississippi Ag and Outdoor Expo will be open in the Trade Mart during the following dates and times:
- 12 p.m. to 7 p.m., Feb. 20
- 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Feb. 21
- 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Feb. 22
Sale of Junior Champions
The annual Dixie National Sale of Junior Champions is a way for young livestock competitors to show off their skills and potentially win scholarships.
Last year, 1,941 animals were exhibited by 1,269 4-H and FFA youth competitors, according to the Dixie National Rodeo. Of those animals, 49 were sold, totaling $591,284.
Since 1993, the Sale of Champions Promotion Committee has awarded more than $1.27 million in total scholarship money. Last year alone, 39 scholarships, a total of $85,000, were awarded.
Various shows will take place during the rodeo. A full schedule and rulebook are available on the Dixie National Rodeo website.
Scholarships will be presented during a ceremony at 11 a.m. on Feb. 12 in the Mississippi Trade Mart.
Got a news tip? Contact Mary Boyte at mboyte@jackson.gannett.com
Mississippi
Mississippi lawmakers face pressure to counter looming federal cuts to health care after punting this session
Wicker: Mississippi powered Artemis II
Published 4:00 pm Monday, April 20, 2026
For nine days this month, space travel captivated the world. Families gathered around their screens as four astronauts strapped into the Integrity spacecraft docked at the Kennedy Space Center. As the launch countdown ended, four Mississippi-tested RS-45 engines ignited, and the ground shook. Seven seconds later, the Integrity had liftoff. For six intense minutes, the RS-45 engines rocketed the crew into high Earth orbit, sending them on their historic lunar flyby mission.
Mississippi should take a bow. The four RS-45 engines were tested at our very own Stennis Space Center, where Mississippians have been ensuring the quality of rocket engines since the Apollo program. For eight years, engineers, safety managers, and logistics specialists from the state have tested the engines that powered the Integrity and will power future Artemis launches. Their work paid off, and the launch was a marvel of engineering. NASA leadership made special mention of the rocket engine burn, calling it “flawless.”
One Mississippian in particular helped make the mission a success. Hernando native Matthew Ramsey handled a great deal of responsibility as the mission manager for Artemis II. The Mississippi State University graduate helped set the focus for the mission and equip the astronauts and staff for the job. Matthew also served as the deputy of the Mission Management Team, the group of NASA staff that comes together just days before a launch. The team assumes the risks of the mission ahead, and they make tough calls during flight if challenges arise.
As the Artemis II journey progressed, the world could not stop watching. Our social media feeds were full of photos and videos beamed down from the heavens. They captured humorous situations, such as the astronauts adjusting to life without gravity or testing their plumbing skills.
We also witnessed moments of majesty. On the fifth day, the Integrity began using the Moon’s gravity to slingshot our astronauts back home. That trajectory led the crew around the Moon, farther from Earth than any humans have ever gone. As the explorers looked upon outer space, they captured stunning images. Among the most remarkable is Earthset, in which Commander Reid Wiseman photographed Earth as it appeared to fall below the horizon of the moon.
When their spacecraft returned to Earth’s atmosphere, the crew was traveling nearly 35 times faster than the speed of sound. Ten minutes later, a series of parachutes began opening. Eventually, the spacecraft’s speed fell to 20 miles per hour, and the crew splashed down into the Pacific Ocean.
Mississippi was once again there to assist. The astronauts were greeted by the USS John P. Murtha, a U.S. military vessel built in the Huntington Ingalls shipyard in Pascagoula. The ship’s amphibious design was suited to welcome the space travelers home—equipped with a helicopter pad, medical facilities, and the communications system needed to locate and recover the astronauts safely. Crucially, the USS Murtha was built with a well deck, a sea-based garage that stored the Integrity on the journey to shore.
Artemis II was a resounding success, paving the way for planned future flights. When the Artemis program returns humans to the moon, Mississippi will be there every step of the way.
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