What major events are held at the Cotton Bowl Stadium each year?

Posted on Mar 09, 2026 / Travel

What major events are held at the Cotton Bowl Stadium each year?

The biggest regular event at the Cotton Bowl Stadium is the Red River Rivalry between Texas and Oklahoma, a hugely popular college football game that draws fans from all over the country. This event is tied to the State Fair of Texas, so you get the fair and the game all in one weekend, which makes it one of the most festive times to visit Dallas. Besides that, the venue hosts other sports events, special regional classics, and sometimes big concerts or community events. In the past, the stadium even hosted matches during the FIFA World Cup and NFL championship games, showing just how versatile it can be. While the original Cotton Bowl Classic has moved to a newer stadium, the Cotton Bowl still gets its fair share of spotlight events that keep the energy high. People also come for college classics and occasionally for other sports like soccer or regional matchups. There’s usually a packed calendar during fair season that makes it worth planning ahead.



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