The Ellensburg Rodeo is the centrepiece of Labor Day weekend in central Washington — four days of bull riding, bronc busting, calf roping, and barrel racing at the rodeo grounds on Eighth Avenue, paired with the Kittitas County Fair next door. Tickets sell out months in advance.
Even if you miss the rodeo itself, the parade through downtown on Saturday morning, the fair midway, and the carnival of bars and food trucks make the weekend an experience. Book accommodation well ahead — Ellensburg fills completely and prices in surrounding towns rise.