Expo Lagoa: rodeo and concerts in Lagoa Santa (GO)

Expo Lagoa debuted in September 2026 as Lagoa Santa's rodeo festival: four nights of bull riding, barrel racing and sertanejo (Brazilian country) concerts, all with free admission. It was the first edition of an event the organizers intend to make a fixture on the town's calendar, alongside Carnalagoa and the Fishing Festival. This page recaps how the 1st Expo Lagoa went and what is known about the next one.

What Expo Lagoa is

Lagoa Santa is in a cattle and farming region, between southern Goiás and eastern Mato Grosso do Sul, where agricultural fairs are the big festival of the year in almost every town. Until 2026, however, the municipality did not have its own. Expo Lagoa was born to fill that gap: a rodeo and concert event, on the model of the region's "expos", but on a small-town scale and without admission charges.

The format brought together bull riding on all four nights, roping and speed rodeo events and one stage act per night, with finals on Sunday. The organizers' stated aim was to boost commerce and lodging in the September low season and create a new date to attract people from neighboring towns.

How the 1st Expo Lagoa went (September 17 to 20, 2026)

The first edition took place from Thursday, September 17, to Sunday, September 20, 2026, with free admission every night. The program released by the organizers and reported by the regional press was as follows:

Some highlights of the format:

• Bull riding on all four days, with the finals on Sunday.
• Rodeio cutiano, horse riding with the typical saddle of the Goiás and Mato Grosso do Sul tradition, one of the events most eagerly awaited by the local crowd.
• Barrel racing (três tambores), a horseback speed event very popular in the region, with a strong female presence.
• "Pega no carneiro" (catch the ram), a game for children that closed Sunday's program.

As the date has passed, this page serves as a record. If you took part and have photos or videos, the website accepts contributions at Contribute.

Next edition: check

The organizers stated their intention to make Expo Lagoa a fixture on the calendar, which points to a 2nd edition in September 2027. However, there are no confirmed dates, venue or acts. Check with the City Hall on (64) 3640-1303 or at lagoasanta.go.gov.br/noticias/ from mid-2027, and follow this website's festival calendar, which is updated when the program comes out.

Where it takes place

Expo Lagoa requires a rodeo arena, corrals and a stage, a structure set up specially for the event. In 2026, the official announcement indicated a venue within the municipality; for the next edition, confirm the address with the City Hall or the CIAT, (64) 3640-1224. As Lagoa Santa is flat and compact, any point is a few minutes from the center, the guesthouses and the thermal lagoon. See the town map.

Practical tips for the next Expo Lagoa

• Arrive early. The rodeo starts at night, but those who arrive in the late afternoon get the best seats in the stands and avoid driving the last stretch of road in the dark (GO-302, from Itajá).
• Combine it with the lagoon. September is the end of the dry season: hot days, dry air and the lagoon at 31 °C. Plan the morning in the water and the night in the arena. See how bathing in the lagoon works.
• What to bring: boots or closed shoes (dust and uneven ground in the arena area), a hat or cap, a light jacket for the early hours, insect repellent, cash and Pix for the food court.
• Children: the "pega no carneiro" and the barrel races are the most suitable attractions for them. Bull riding is noisy; bring ear protection for little ones.
• Drinking and driving: the town has no public transport. If you are going to drink, stay within walking distance of the arena or arrange a driver.
• Fuel: fill up in Rio Verde, Caçu, Itajá or Paranaíba.

Other rodeo festivals in the region

Rodeo fans can combine the trip with the fairs of neighboring towns, which have their own calendars: Itajá, Paranaíba, Cassilândia and Quirinópolis hold their agricultural festivals on different dates throughout the year. See the list on Nearby towns.