Attendance

World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest

Day 2017 2018 2019 2020 2022
Thursday *47,883 37,580 40,905 43,453 32,812
Friday 81,894 76,990 73,175 73,433 57,838
Saturday 96,592 100,906 101,605 102,571 67,565
TOTAL 226,369 215,476 215,685 219,457 158,215

* Attendance Record

Thursday: *47,883 (2017)
Friday: *86,042 (2013)
Saturday: *138,261 (2013)
Total: *264,132 (2013)

Total Attendance

ALL ACTIVITIES ON THE GROUNDS

  2017 2018 2019 2020 2022
Bar-B-Que Contest 226,369 215,476 215,685 219,457 158,215
Monday -- -- 47,900 -- 72,059
Tuesday 62,062 94,349 48,322 64,185 51,806
Wednesday 79,950 70,547 86,864 70,936 71,121
Thursday 96,602 92,617 76,411 60,911 60,821
Friday 114,786 65,746 114,219 77,632 78,686
Saturday 105,258 100,172 108,527 102,009      136,600
Sunday 124,252 79,168 104,358 109,857 114,489
Monday 111,991 64,858 52,327 80,875 75,678
Tuesday 116,771 70,414 66,630 65,960 47,316
Wednesday 177,932 90,724 111,307 *** 81,170
Thursday 161,801 96,693 92,868 *** 107,347
Friday 140,878 142,026 81,808 *** 95,970
Saturday **185,667 145,940 153,312 *** 138,338
Sunday 154,913 127,967 156,862 *** 135,678
Monday 88,789 117,795 122,143 *** 100,044
Tuesday 83,756 111,894 117,373 *** 118,794
Wednesday 112,261 157,562 125,057 *** 159,931
Thursday 100,062 145,701 150,177 *** 131,025
Friday 90,867 140,651 159,064 *** 159,656
Saturday 146,886 147,717 168,718 *** 174,735
Sunday 129,323 130,533 146,331 *** 147,769
TOTAL *2,611,176 2,408,550 2,506,263 851,822*** 2,417,248

  • * Total Attendance Record
  • ** Single Day Total Attendance Record (since 2003)
  • *** In the interest of public health, the City of Houston and the Houston Health Department ordered the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ to close Wednesday, March 11, 2020.
  • The 2021 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was canceled due to the health situation.

Paid Rodeo/Concert Attendance

  2017 2018 2019 2020 2022
Monday -- -- 53,031 -- 70,544
Tuesday 51,544 75,018 51,826 56,188 50,690
Wednesday 60,011 53,006 71,366 70,479 59,594
Thursday 72,803 68,288 67,115 53,114 53,133
Friday 73,660 51,965 75,580 61,851 56,782
Saturday 74,259 60,769 66,715 64,661 72,857
Sunday 74,280 61,291 74,738 74,320 70,129
Monday 70,263 58,226 51,915 58,410 62,455
Tuesday 66,740 57,350 55,782 62,581 49,101
Wednesday 73,300 60,200 72,384 *** 58,589
Thursday 75,033 72,175 66,491 *** 72,109
Friday 64,006 64,238 54,959 *** 73,259
Saturday 75,008 74,177 75,121 *** 73,243
Sunday 75,557 75,565 *75,586 *** 66,013
Monday 60,644 70,319 69,570 *** 58,641
Tuesday 59,142 74,701 61,436 *** 65,561
Wednesday 65,567 70,929 74,161 *** 68,807
Thursday 65,011 72,564 72,011 *** 73,757
Friday 64,007 75,014 73,009 *** 73,866
Saturday 75,000 75,016 74,929 *** 72,389
Sunday 74,428 75,577 ** *** ****
TOTAL 1,370,263 1,346,388 1,337,725 501,604*** 1,301,529

  • * Attendance Record
  • **See NRG Stadium Attendance Record Below
  • ***In the interest of public health, the City of Houston and the Houston Health Department ordered the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ to close Wednesday, March 11, 2020.
  • The 2021 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was canceled due to the health situation.
  • ****Sunday, March 20, 2022 – George Strait, with special guest Ashley McBryde (concert only): 79,456

NRG Stadium Attendance Record

Attendance History by Year

YEAR TOTAL ATTENDANCE PAID RODEO/CONCERT ATTENDANCE
1998 1,769,359 923,313
1999 1,853,650 #1,101,507
2000 1,889,861 1,101,478
2001 1,382,183 1,031,570
2002 1,563,662 1,091,955
2003 1,745,351 1,215,913
2004 1,890,174 1,126,092
2005 1,740,095 1,127,239
2006 1,688,103 1,115,558
2007 1,806,129 1,176,436
2008 1,802,158 1,206,551
2009 1,890,332 1,182,128
2010 2,144,077 1,264,074
2011 2,262,834 1,255,323
2012 2,257,970 1,283,419
2013
 2,506,238 1,308,288
2014 2,485,721 1,377,416
2015 2,483,193 *1,377,477
2016  2,462,030  1,345,983
2017 *2,611,176 1,370,263
2018 2,408,550 1,346,388
2019 2,506,263 1,337,725
2020 851,822*** 501,604***
2021 **** ****
2022 2,417,248 1,301,529
  • * Attendance Records
  • # Paid attendance figures beginning in 1999 (actual turnstile figures were reported through 1998).
  • *** In the interest of public health, the City of Houston and the Houston Health Department ordered the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo™ to close Wednesday, March 11, 2020.
  • **** The 2021 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo was canceled due to the health situation.

Top 25 Paid Rodeo/Concert Attendance Records – Individual Performances

RANK DATE ATTENDANCE PERFORMER(S)
1
 Sunday,
March 10, 2019
Go Tejano Day 		75,586 Los Tigres Del Norte
2
 Friday,
March 1, 2019
Black Heritage Day 		75,580 Cardi B
3
 Sunday,
March 18, 2018 		75,577 Garth Brooks
4
 Sunday,
March 11, 2018
Go Tejano Day 		75,565
 Calibre 50
5 Sunday,
March 19, 2017
Go Tejano Day 		75,557 Banda El Recodo
Siggno
6 Sunday,
March 13, 2016
Go Tejano Day 		75,508 Banda Los Recoditos
Los Huracanes Del Norte
7 Sunday,
March 15, 2015
Go Tejano Day
 75,357
 La Arrolladora Banda El Limon
La Maquinaria Nortena
8
 Sunday,
March 10, 2013
Go Tejano Day
 75,305
 Julion Alvarez
Los Invasores de Nuevo Leon
9 Saturday,
March 16, 2013
 75,242 Luke Bryan
10
 Friday,
March 15, 2013
 75,238 Blake Shelton
11
 Sunday,
March 16, 2014
Go Tejano Day
 75,224
 Banda MS and Pesado
12 Thursday,
March 14, 2013 		75,217 Pitbull
13 Thursday,
March 13, 2014 		75,214 Maroon 5
14 Thursday,
March 7, 2013
 75,177
 Bruno Mars
15
 Saturday,
March 21, 2015
 75,167 Brad Paisley
16
 Saturday,
March 9, 2019 		75,122 Kane Brown
17
 Thursday,
March 10, 2016 		75,082 Luke Bryan
18
 Monday,
March 17, 2014
 75,078
 Luke Bryan
19
 Tuesday,
March 17, 2015
75,068
 Ariana Grande
20
 Friday,
March 7, 2014
Black Heritage Day 		75,067 Usher
21 Thursday,
March 20, 2014 		75,054 Blake Shelton
22
 Thursday,
March 16, 2017 		75,033 Luke Bryan
23
 Tuesday,
Feb. 27, 2018
 75,018
 Garth Brooks
24
 Thursday,
March 19, 2015
Saturday,
March 17, 2018
 75,016
 Blake Shelton
Brad Paisley
25
 Wednesday,
March 18, 2015 		75,015
 Florida Georgia Line