Special Events
Ranch Hand Breakfast
Experience a favorite South Texas tradition at the annual Ranch Hand Breakfast at the historic King Ranch.
Once a year, visitors are invited onto the Ranch for an authentic cowboy breakfast cooked and served outdoors. Enjoy a hearty ranch-style meal while taking in live music, storytelling, and activities celebrating the people, skills, and traditions of ranch life.
This year’s expanded experience will feature ranch rodeo activities, a Hunting Rig Car Show, team roping, old-time cow camp cooking, and live cowboy demonstrations.
Date: November 21, 2026
Time: 7:00-11:00 a.m. CT
Location: King Ranch, Highway 141, Kingsville, TX
Tickets:
$15.00 per person. Ages 3 and under are free.
Tickets include admission to the Ranch Hand Breakfast and Ranch Rodeo, as well as free round-trip shuttle transportation from the J.K. Northway Exposition Center.
Tickets are available online only. There will be no ticket sales at the gate.
Parking and Transportation
New for 2026: There is no general parking on King Ranch for the Ranch Hand Breakfast.
Each breakfast ticket includes free round-trip shuttle transportation from the J.K. Northway Exposition Center, 501 E. Escondido Road, Kingsville. Guests may park at the exposition center and take the shuttle to and from King Ranch. Shuttle service begins at 6:30 a.m.
Guests who prefer to park directly on King Ranch may purchase a VIP Ranch Parking Pass for $20 per vehicle. A parking pass is required for any vehicle parking on the Ranch, and each person in the vehicle must also have a Ranch Hand Breakfast ticket.
VIP Ranch Parking is located at 2205 W. Highway 141, Kingsville. Gates open at 6:30 a.m. Guests should have their digital parking pass ready and follow the marked VIP Parking line at the Ranch entrance.
Accessible parking is available on King Ranch for VIP Ranch Parking Pass holders. A parking pass is also required for accessible parking.
VIP Ranch Parking is limited to standard passenger vehicles. Oversized vehicles, motorcycles, trailers, recreational vehicles and buses are not permitted. Re-entry is not allowed.
Make a Weekend of It
The Ranch Hand Breakfast is part of Ranch Hand Weekend, Nov. 20-21, 2026, a two-day celebration of South Texas ranching heritage and western culture.
The weekend includes the Community Christmas Tree Lighting, Ranch Hand Festival, King Ranch BBQ Competition, live music, family activities, and a Saturday evening concert.