Cowboy Christmas 2026 runs Thursday, December 3, through Saturday, December 12, in the South Halls of the Las Vegas Convention Center, open every day from morning until late afternoon. Admission is free, and you do not need a rodeo ticket to shop. It is the official gift show of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, and it has run alongside the NFR since 1986.
What Cowboy Christmas is
Picture a western department store the size of several football fields. More than 375 exhibitors fill over 500,000 square feet with custom jewelry, western wear, boots and spurs, hats, furniture, original art, handmade crafts and things for the home. Attendance has averaged more than 326,000 over the last four years. People come for one pair of boots and leave with a belt buckle, a piece of turquoise and a Christmas list crossed off. The Ariat Rodeo Live Stage keeps something happening on the floor, and the YETI Junior National Finals Rodeo runs over the same ten days, so the next generation of riders competes under the same roof.
When: December 3 to 12, 2026, open daily. Where: South Halls, Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road. Admission: free. Best for: NFR fans, western-wear shoppers and anyone buying Christmas gifts with a ranch flavor.
Shop by day, rodeo by night
Cowboy Christmas closes in the late afternoon and the rodeo starts in the evening, which is the whole rhythm of NFR week: browse the halls, drop the bags at the hotel, then head to the Thomas & Mack Center, about four miles away, for the night's go-round. The National Finals Rodeo runs the same ten nights, December 3 to 12, with the top 15 contestants in each event chasing the gold buckle. Our National Finals Rodeo guide covers the arena, and our NFR concerts guide lists the country shows after the rodeo, night by night.
Check National Finals Rodeo tickets
Getting there and parking
The Convention Center sits just east of the Strip, and the Las Vegas Monorail stops right at it, which is the easiest way in from the center Strip hotels. Rideshares use the designated drop-off zones. Driving works too, but the paid lots fill fast during NFR week, so arrive before the doors open if you plan to park. Wear comfortable shoes. The floor is huge.
When to go
The two weekends, especially Saturday, December 5, and the closing day, Saturday, December 12, are the busiest. Weekday mornings in the middle of the run are the calmest time to shop. If you are hunting for one specific thing, go early in the week, while the shelves are full.
Planning the rest of the week
December in Las Vegas is cold at night and busy every night of NFR week, so book hotels and rodeo seats early. Christmas lights and holiday shows start the same week, and our Christmas in Las Vegas guide rounds them up. Come for the rodeo. Leave with the boots.
