Yeehaw! Last month Tucson students enjoyed two days off from school for Rodeo Break. This tradition began in 1925 when the entire city shut down for the first Tucson rodeo. Since every child in town was in the rodeo parade or planning to attend it, schools did not bother to stay open.

This year over 55,000 guests from around the country and the world attended the Tucson Rodeo, which celebrated its 100th anniversary and is ranked as one of the top rodeos by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

The Tucson Rodeo was established by Fredrick Leighton Kramer, a Philadelphia businessman who lived in Tucson during the winter and owned a sprawling ranch northeast of Campbell Avenue and Speedway. Kramer created the rodeo to celebrate Tucson’s heritage and bring in tourism. To honor Kramer’s founding role, his descendants served as the 2025 Grand Marshals of the Tucson Rodeo Parade, which is the largest non-mechanized parade in the United States.

Rodeo Break is exclusive to Tucson. Schools in Phoenix or elsewhere in the state do not close. School holidays for local or regional events are uncommon, but there are other examples.

In Louisiana, many students get a week off in February to celebrate Mardi Gras, a pre-Lent festival that includes parades, masked balls, and feasting.

Schools in Philadelphia closed for one day to allow students to attend public celebrations of the Philadelphia Eagles’ 2025 Super Bowl victory.

Similarly, Kansas City schools gave students a day off in 2023 and 2024 due to parades honoring the Super Bowl wins of the Kansas City Chiefs.