Three rodeo performances are set — 7:30 p.m. Friday and 1 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday — and will feature competitions in bull riding, bareback and saddle bronc riding, team roping, steer wrestling, tie-down roping, and women’s barrel racing and breakaway roping events.

Those attending Friday’s event are encouraged to wear purple in support of “Man-Up Crusade” to reduce domestic violence. Saturday’s performance is pink in support of “Tough Enough to Wear Pink” for breast cancer research.

Performances will go on rain or shine.

Gates to the arena at the Iron County Fairgrounds will open two hours before each session. Tickets are $8 for children and $20 for adults if purchased by today, or $10 for children and $25 for adults at the gate.

Miss U.P. Rodeo Caitlin Parker rides in the 2025 Wild West Parade in downtown Iron River. This year’s parade will step off at 10 a.m. Saturday. (Taylor Ledgerwood Photography)

The HomeTown Heroes Youth Equestrian Drill Team from Manawa, Wis., returns to provide pre-performance entertainment. Riders on the team range in age from 10 to 18 years old and perform synchronized routines to music at rodeos while carrying flags representing police, firefighters and the military.

Jody Carper is scheduled to be rodeo announcer for a third straight year. Barrel man will be Nick Kaup, who appears along with two miniature donkeys, Donald and Herman, that travel with him for performances.

Featured entertainer at the 2026 U.P. Championship Rodeo will be trick and Roman rider Dusti Crain-Dickerson, whose last appearance in Iron River was in 2023.

The U.P. Championship Rodeo remains the only Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, or PRCA, sanctioned rodeo in Michigan.

Iron River has a host of other events along with the rodeo.

A barrel rider competes in the 2025 Upper Peninsula Championship Rodeo in Iron River. The 2026 event takes place Friday and Saturday in the arena at the Iron County Fairgrounds in Iron River. (Cardenas Captures photo)

Market Day will take place 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday in downtown Iron River. This offers vendors with a wide range of merchandise and food, plus the Friends of the Library Book Sale at West Iron District Library.

On Saturday from 8 to 11:30 a.m., the Iron River Senior Center will serve a pancake breakfast.

The Wild West Parade steps off at 10 a.m. Saturday at the corner of Franklin Street and Fourth Avenue, winding through downtown Iron River before returning to the fairgrounds. A parade entry form can be found at https://upprorodeo.com/wp-content/uploads/Parade-Registration.pdf.

Royalty making appearances will include Miss U.P. Rodeo Caitlin Parker and U.P. Rodeo Princess Maddy Nooyen, who have agreed to stay in the role for another year, plus Miss Rodeo Michigan Kira Szulinski and Mid-Western Rodeo Princess Brook Splingaire.

The Classic Farm Machinery of Iron County Antique Tractor Show and Brat Feed takes place starting at 11 a.m. at the VFW Ottawa Post 3134, 94 E. Genesee St.

For more information on the rodeo, go online to the U.P. Championship Rodeo page at https://upprorodeo.com/ or to the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/upprorodeo.