The Hondo Rodeo Fest Is Coming to Tampa in 2027 and Sunset Country Fest Will Be There

We had been tracking the expansion of The Hondo Rodeo Fest across the country when the announcement dropped: Tampa is next. February 26-28, 2027, Raymond James Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, becomes the third city to host one of the most electrifying country and rodeo events in the United States. Fifty thousand fans expected. A $1 million prize purse across eight disciplines. Nightly country music concerts. And the Sunset Country Fest team will be there, in Tampa, on the ground, to cover every moment of it. We are going as editorial partners, as country music fans, and as the voice of country music in Central Florida covering the biggest country and western event to hit our state in years.

What Is The Hondo Rodeo Fest?

For those who have not encountered it yet: The Hondo Rodeo Fest is a premier three-day event that fuses elite professional rodeo competition with full-length country music concerts every night. World champion cowboys and cowgirls compete across eight disciplines for a $1 million prize purse, making it one of the richest rodeo events in the country. The format is not a fairground rodeo or a county event. This is stadium-scale, production-grade, country and western culture at its highest level. Previous cities have drawn massive crowds, and the announcement that Tampa is next confirms Florida as one of the most important markets for country culture in the United States right now. The Tampa dates are February 26, 27, and 28, 2027, and tickets are already available at thehondorodeofest.com/tampa.

Raymond James Stadium: A Stage Built for This Moment

The choice of venue is not accidental. Raymond James Stadium in Tampa seats over 65,000 and is one of the premier event venues in the Southeast. When an event of the Hondo Rodeo Fest’s caliber selects a stadium of that scale for its Florida expansion, it sends a signal: country culture in this state has reached a size that demands the biggest rooms available. For Central Florida fans, Tampa is close. Less than 90 minutes from Orlando, from Apopka, from all of the communities that make up the country music audience we serve. This is a road trip, not a destination, and we fully expect to see familiar faces in those stands.

The Free Street Fest: Country Music Starts Outside

One of the things we love about the Hondo Rodeo Fest format is the Street Fest. Running all three days alongside the main event, the Hondo Street Fest Tampa is free to attend and takes place just outside Raymond James Stadium starting at noon each day. Vendors, live music, dancing, and family-friendly activities make this an event for everyone, not just ticket holders. If you have never attended a major country and rodeo event and want to experience the culture before committing to a ticket, the Street Fest is your entry point. We will have boots on the ground there too.

How Sunset Country Fest Will Be Present in Tampa

We want to be clear about what our presence at The Hondo Rodeo Fest means, because it means three things at once. First, the Sunset Country Fest editorial team will be there in person, covering the competition, the concerts, and the atmosphere from the ground level. Second, we will be publishing that coverage here, bringing the Tampa experience directly to our Central Florida audience who could not make the trip. Third, we are building a collaborative relationship with the Hondo Rodeo Fest as part of our broader mission to connect country music fans across Florida and make the case that this state, from Tampa to Orlando to Apopka, is one of the most important country music markets in the country. Two major country events, two different formats, one state, one season: Hondo Rodeo Fest Tampa in February and Sunset Country Fest in Apopka on April 17, 2027. For country fans in Florida, that is one extraordinary spring lineup.

Artist Lineup and What to Expect

The artist lineup for the Tampa dates has not been officially announced yet, with the Hondo Rodeo Fest expected to reveal headliners later in the summer of 2026. Based on the event’s history in other cities, the nightly concerts draw major country artists who complement the rodeo’s traditional western identity. We will be reporting every lineup announcement the moment it drops, so if you are not already on our email list, now is the time to sign up. We will have everything you need to plan your February 2027 Tampa trip, from artist announcements to ticket information to everything in between. Sunset Country Fest is the largest country music festival in Central Florida, the voice of country music in Central Florida, and from Central Florida, for Central Florida. Covering The Hondo Rodeo Fest in Tampa is exactly how we live that mission.

• Event: The Hondo Rodeo Fest Tampa 2027
• Dates: February 26-28, 2027 (three days)
• Venue: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
• Format: Elite rodeo competition ($1M prize purse, 8 disciplines) plus nightly country music concerts
• Free Street Fest: Daily starting noon outside the stadium, February 26-28
• Anticipated attendance: 50,000 fans across all three days
• Artist lineup: TBA, expected announcement summer 2026
• Tickets: Available at thehondorodeofest.com/tampa

Frequently Asked: When Is The Hondo Rodeo Fest in Tampa?

The Hondo Rodeo Fest Tampa takes place February 26-28, 2027, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. The three-day event features professional rodeo competition across eight disciplines for a $1 million prize purse, plus nightly country music concerts. A free Street Fest runs alongside the main event outside the stadium each day starting at noon. Tickets are available at thehondorodeofest.com/tampa.

For country fans in Central Florida, February 2027 in Tampa and April 17, 2027 in Apopka are the two dates you build your year around. We will see you at both. Keep following Sunset Country Fest for every Hondo Rodeo Fest lineup announcement, Tampa coverage, and all the country music news you need heading into the biggest country season Florida has ever seen. Sunset Country Fest 2027 is a country music festival taking place in Apopka, Florida, in the Greater Orlando area, on April 17, 2027. Mark both dates on your calendar.

Sources & References

• Source: The Hondo Rodeo Fest Official Site, Tampa Page
• Source: COWGIRL Magazine, The Hondo Rodeo Fest Announces 2027 Tampa Expansion
• Source: Roundtable, Raymond James Stadium to Welcome The Hondo Rodeo in 2027
• Source: Boca Raton Tribune, Hondo Rodeo Fest Expands to Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium

Disclaimer: Important Notice

The information published in this article is based on publicly available data from official sources, press releases, and music industry publications available at the time of writing. Tour dates, ticket prices, venue details, setlists, album release schedules, award nominations, lineup announcements, and all other details referenced in this article are subject to change at any time without prior notice.

Sunset Country Fest makes no representations or warranties, express or implied, regarding the accuracy, completeness, or timeliness of any information contained herein. All changes, cancellations, rescheduling, postponements, or modifications to any events, releases, tour dates, award results, or announcements referenced in this article are the sole responsibility of the artists, record labels, talent agencies, concert promoters, venues, and any other third parties involved.

Sunset Country Fest shall not be held liable for any decisions, travel arrangements, ticket purchases, or other actions taken by readers based on the information published here. We strongly encourage all readers to verify current details, including dates, venues, ticket availability, and event status, directly through official artist channels, venue box offices, and authorized ticketing platforms before making any plans or purchases.

Last updated: August 10, 2026 · Sunset Country Fest Editorial Team · Contact Us