I will be driving though Albuquerque next month and see that there is rodeo event and concert on the evening of September 18. I've never been to a rodeo before and am wondering if this would be a good one to go to.

In order to make it there on the 18th, I would have to skip one earlier stop that I have planned for my cross-country drive.

On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being best, how does it rate? If it was baseball that I was asking about I would want to know if it is Major League, AAA, AA, or A, or amateur.

Maybe a better comparison is horse racing. I am a big fan and know that there is t-bred racing at the NM State Fair. I would like to see it but I won't go out of my way to see it. btw, when is the racing held?

Probably will be staying at the Marriott. What is the hotel and neighborhood like? Is that a mall across the street? I saw something about park and ride shuttles to the fair but don't know if that would be convenient to the hotel.

The New Mexico State Fair Rodeo is a sanctioned rodeo by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys' Association, which means it will be a good/big one. It runs for 10 days, with multiple performances, so you will definitely see some of the Southwest's best cowboys and cowgirls competing for top prize money!

I saw it last year if I had to do it again I wouldnt. I'd give it a 3 and thats being generous..

Travelina, is that because you didn't like rodeo as a sport, or because it wasn't a good rodeo?

We've never done the rodeo, but we really enjoy the New Mexico State Fair. There is usually a concert after the rodeo - check the Expo New Mexico website for details and for locations of Park and Ride. There has been one in the past from one of the malls. You're not far from the fairgrounds, though, and it would be easy to drive and park at the fairgrounds, especially if you go in the morning. The parking tends to fill up more in the afternoon.

The Marriott is in Uptown; the neighborhood is fine and yes, you're across the street from Winrock Mall and just down the street a couple of blocks from Coronado Mall.

Lee Ann

I disliked it for both reasons. However, it would have been more enjoyable had they had some control over the crowds of unruly, obnoxious people--not all of them but a large percentage ruined it for the rest of us. Overall the state fair is nothing I would make a special trip for.

Ok, I am definitely going to try to make it since it is sanctioned by the PRCA (ironically pronounced parka, I suppose)! I think that I will be able to make it to the Marriott in Uptown on Sunday afternoon in time to get to the rodeo, but will see if I can get there Sat. nite to spend the day at the fair.

The concert on the 18th will be Three Dog Night. Sorry to miss Alice Cooper on the 10th! (w/Cheap Trick).

Great! I think you'll have a wonderful time! Just so you don't sound like a greenhorn, PRCA is referred to by the initials. ;-)

Three Dog Night puts on a GREAT SHOW! If you lived through the 70s, you will love it. (Back in the dot.com days, they played at a company picnic of one of my former employers...)