Pendleton Round Up Week Coffee From Despain Avenue to the Grounds

Thomas Garner

Oct 7

11 min read

Bronze bucking horse statue in front of the Pendleton Round-Up grandstand in Pendleton, Oregon

Photo: Visitor7, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Pendleton Round Up is always held the second full week of September, with its grounds and ticket office at 1330 SW Court Ave. For one week a year, a city of about 17,070 people by the Census Bureau's 2023 five year count runs on a rodeo schedule: slack in the mornings early in the week, a 1:15pm rodeo from Wednesday through Saturday, the Happy Canyon Night Show at 7:45pm, and two parades that close downtown streets at 10am.

Coffee in Pendleton does not run on that schedule. It runs on the hours each coffee stop posts for itself, and some of those hours were set for an ordinary working week. This post lines the two up, using the Round Up's own published schedule and FAQ and the posted hours for four coffee addresses: Buckin Bean Coffee Roasters downtown on NW Despain Avenue, Pendleton Ground Up on SW Emigrant Avenue, and the Dutch Bros and Sorbenots drive thrus on SW 12th Street and SE 9th Street. All hours were read on September 27, 2026, just after this year's Round Up, and are worth checking again before next September.

What Round Up Week Looks Like

The Round Up's own FAQ lays out the week plainly. Monday and Tuesday carry slack, the extra competition rounds that let additional pro rodeo contestants compete and serve as a qualifier. The rodeo itself starts promptly at 1:15pm every day from Wednesday through Saturday. Wednesday is Senior Day and Thursday is Kids Day, with discounted tickets on each.

Every night after the rodeo, the Happy Canyon Night Show starts at 7:45pm. The Round Up describes Happy Canyon as a Native American night pageant, and its own history page says the show has been entertaining audiences since 1916, that the Oregon Legislature declared it the state's official outdoor pageant and wild west show in 2013, and that it will celebrate its 111th anniversary in 2027.

Two parades frame the week. The Main Street Cowboys Dress Up Parade is always held the Saturday before Round Up at 10am. The Westward Ho! Parade is always held on the Friday of Round Up week at 10am; in 2026 that was Friday, September 18, from 10am to 11:30am. Put together, that is a week with fixed anchor times at 10am, 1:15pm and 7:45pm, and a coffee plan should be built around them.

Four Coffee Addresses and Their Posted Hours

Buckin Bean Coffee Roasters is at 405 NW Despain Ave in downtown Pendleton. It posts hours of Monday through Friday, 7am to 2pm, with the phone number 541 276 8643. During Round Up week, that means it is open Monday through Friday mornings and early afternoons, and not on the Saturday of the final rodeo.

Pendleton Ground Up is a drive thru at 1803 SW Emigrant Ave. Its posted hours are Tuesday through Friday from 6am to 4pm and Saturday from 7am to 4pm. During Round Up week it is open Tuesday through Saturday, with a 6am start on weekdays.

Two chain drive thrus fill in the edges of the day. Dutch Bros at 205 SW 12th St posts hours of 5am to 10pm Sunday through Thursday and 5am to 11pm on Friday and Saturday. Sorbenots at 402 SE 9th St, part of a drive thru chain with stands across Eastern Oregon, posts that it is open every day from 5am to 7:30pm. Both are chains, and both matter most at the very start and the very end of a Round Up day.

Parade Mornings at 10am

The Westward Ho! Parade is the big one, held on the Friday of Round Up week. The Round Up's own parade page describes it as unique because no motorized vehicles are allowed in the line of march: mules, oxen drawn covered wagons, buggies and surreys, riding groups and marching bands from surrounding communities, with many of the Native Americans camped at the Round Up grounds taking part dressed in their tribal finery. It starts downtown near City Hall at Dorion and SW 4th, heads down Dorion toward the courthouse, then turns west on Court Street and ends at the Round Up grounds.

That Friday morning is one of the easiest coffee mornings of the week. Buckin Bean on NW Despain Avenue opens at 7am, Ground Up on SW Emigrant Avenue opens at 6am, and both chain drive thrus open at 5am. A parade goer who wants a cup in hand before claiming a spot on the curb has three hours of options before the 10am start. The Round Up asks spectators to bring their own chair, since seating along the route is not provided, and it does not allow drones anywhere near the route.

The Dress Up Parade on the Saturday before Round Up is a different coffee morning. Buckin Bean does not open on Saturdays, so the downtown Despain corner is not part of that plan. Ground Up opens at 7am on Saturday, and the chain drive thrus open at 5am.

Rodeo Afternoons at 1:15pm

The single most useful coffee fact about Round Up week is on the Round Up's own list of items to leave at home. Outside food or drinks are not allowed on the grounds, along with personal coolers, cans and glass bottles. A coffee bought on the way to the rodeo has to be finished before the gate, not carried into the stands.

That makes timing matter. Buckin Bean posts a 2pm close on weekdays, and Ground Up posts a 4pm close Tuesday through Saturday, so a coffee before the 1:15pm start is well inside both windows on the days they open. A plan that works is simple: get the cup in the late morning, drink it on the walk or in the car, and arrive at the gate with empty hands.

The Round Up FAQ also notes that the North, South and West seating sections are covered, while the East section, the Let 'er Buck Zone, is uncovered. Anyone seated in the uncovered East section should plan for the afternoon sun, and the FAQ notes that the only vending inside the grounds is for food.

Happy Canyon Evenings at 7:45pm

By the time the Happy Canyon Night Show starts at 7:45pm, both independent coffee stops in this post have long since finished their day: Buckin Bean at 2pm and Ground Up at 4pm. Sorbenots on SE 9th Street posts a 7:30pm end to its day, just before the show begins.

That leaves Dutch Bros at 205 SW 12th St as the posted late option, open until 10pm Sunday through Thursday and until 11pm on Friday and Saturday. For anyone who wants something warm after the show lets out, that is the window still open.

Happy Canyon tickets are handled separately from the rodeo during the week. The Round Up FAQ says the Happy Canyon box office is on the east side of the Pendleton Convention Center, while the main Round Up box office for the week before and the week of Round Up sits on the southeast corner of the grounds near the Let 'er Buck statue.

Getting There Without a Parking Spot

The Round Up is direct about parking: the grounds do not have it. Its FAQ and parking page point visitors to paid lots around town and note that parking on most side streets is free, first come, first served. Anyone can be dropped off in front of Roy Raley Park, by the bucking horse statue on the east side of the grounds, where there is a loading and unloading zone.

For visitors staying outside walking distance, the Round Up lists three shuttle options: the Pendleton Round Up Shuttle Service, which stops near many hotels and can be reached at 541 379 5666; a Wildhorse Resort and Casino shuttle that runs from the casino to the grounds every 30 minutes; and Kayak Shuttle, which serves Umatilla County and can be reached at 541 429 7519.

For a coffee plan, this is the practical point. A driver who stops at a drive thru on the way in still has to find a paid lot or a side street spot and walk, and the cup has to be finished before the gate. A walker coming from downtown can pass the Despain corner on a weekday morning before heading toward Court Avenue.

Despain, Dorion and Court on the Same Grid

Downtown Pendleton's coffee and Round Up geography share one grid. Buckin Bean sits at the corner of NW 4th and Despain. The Westward Ho! Parade starts near City Hall at Dorion and SW 4th. Court Avenue, which carries US 30 through downtown according to OpenStreetMap, is the street the parade follows west to the grounds at 1330 SW Court Ave.

The address prefixes tell the rest. NW Despain is on the northwest side of the grid, SW Emigrant and SW 12th are on the southwest side along with the grounds on SW Court, and SE 9th is on the southeast side. A visitor who knows the quadrant from the address has most of what is needed to plan a route between a coffee stop and the grounds.

None of this requires a car on a weekday morning downtown. It does require knowing which days each stop is open, which is why the posted hours matter more during Round Up week than at any other time of year.

A Round Up Week Coffee Plan, Day by Day

Monday and Tuesday are slack days. Buckin Bean is open from 7am to 2pm both days. Ground Up opens on Tuesday at 6am but posts no Monday hours. The chain drive thrus open at 5am both days.

Wednesday and Thursday bring the 1:15pm rodeo and the 7:45pm Happy Canyon show, along with Senior Day on Wednesday and Kids Day on Thursday. Both independent stops are open in the morning, Buckin Bean from 7am and Ground Up from 6am, and both close before the evening show.

Friday is parade day, with the Westward Ho! Parade at 10am, the rodeo at 1:15pm and Happy Canyon at 7:45pm. Every coffee stop in this post is open Friday morning. Saturday is the final rodeo day: Ground Up opens at 7am, the chain drive thrus at 5am, and the downtown Despain corner is not open. After Happy Canyon on Friday or Saturday night, Dutch Bros on SW 12th Street posts an 11pm close.

After the Crowd Goes Home

When Round Up week ends, Pendleton's coffee settles back into its ordinary rhythm: a weekday downtown counter on NW Despain Avenue, a Tuesday through Saturday drive thru on SW Emigrant Avenue, and the chain windows on SW 12th Street and SE 9th Street. The Round Up itself keeps going year round in a quieter way. Its store at 1330 SW Court Ave posts hours of 10am to 6pm Monday through Saturday, and its FAQ says tickets for the next year go on sale in January, typically in the first or second week.

The next Round Up falls, as always, in the second full week of September, and Happy Canyon reaches its 111th anniversary in 2027. Anyone planning that trip can use this post as a starting point and check the posted hours again before the week begins, since a single change to a weekday schedule can reshape a Round Up morning.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Pendleton Round Up held?

The Pendleton Round Up is always held the second full week of September, with its grounds and ticket office at 1330 SW Court Ave in Pendleton, Oregon. Slack runs Monday and Tuesday, the rodeo starts at 1:15pm Wednesday through Saturday, and the Happy Canyon Night Show starts at 7:45pm after the rodeo each night. In 2026 the Westward Ho! Parade ran on Friday, September 18.

Can I bring coffee into the Round Up grounds?

No. The Round Up's own list of items to leave at home includes outside food or drinks, personal coolers, and cans or glass bottles. A coffee bought on the way has to be finished before the gate. The only vending inside the grounds is for food, so plan to drink your coffee on the walk from a side street spot, a paid lot or the shuttle drop.

Is Buckin Bean open during Round Up week?

Buckin Bean Coffee Roasters, at 405 NW Despain Ave downtown, posts hours of Monday through Friday from 7am to 2pm, so it is open every weekday of Round Up week, including the Friday of the Westward Ho! Parade. It does not post Saturday hours, so it is not part of the plan for the final Saturday rodeo or the Dress Up Parade on the Saturday before Round Up.

When is Pendleton Ground Up open?

Pendleton Ground Up, a drive thru at 1803 SW Emigrant Ave, posts hours of Tuesday through Friday from 6am to 4pm and Saturday from 7am to 4pm. During Round Up week that covers Tuesday through the final Saturday, with a 6am start on weekdays and a 7am start on Saturday. It posts no Sunday or Monday hours, so Monday slack day needs another stop.

Where can I get coffee after Happy Canyon?

By the 7:45pm start of the Happy Canyon Night Show, the independent stops in this post have finished their day, Buckin Bean at 2pm and Ground Up at 4pm, and Sorbenots on SE 9th Street closes its window at 7:30pm. Dutch Bros at 205 SW 12th St posts hours until 10pm Sunday through Thursday and 11pm on Friday and Saturday.

What is the route of the Westward Ho! Parade?

The Westward Ho! Parade starts downtown near City Hall at Dorion and SW 4th, heads down Dorion toward the courthouse, then turns west on Court Street and ends at the Round Up grounds at 1330 SW Court Ave. It is held on the Friday of Round Up week at 10am, allows no motorized vehicles in the line of march, and spectators should bring their own chairs.

When is the Dress Up Parade?

The Main Street Cowboys Dress Up Parade is always held on the Saturday before Round Up at 10am, according to the Round Up's own FAQ. For coffee that morning, Pendleton Ground Up on SW Emigrant Avenue opens at 7am on Saturdays and the chain drive thrus on SW 12th Street and SE 9th Street open at 5am. The downtown Despain corner keeps weekday hours only.

Is there parking at the Round Up grounds?

No. The Round Up says its grounds do not offer parking. Visitors use paid lots around town or side streets, most of which are free, and can be dropped off in front of Roy Raley Park by the bucking horse statue on the east side. Shuttles include the Pendleton Round Up Shuttle Service at 541 379 5666 and a Wildhorse Resort and Casino shuttle every 30 minutes.

What is Happy Canyon?

Happy Canyon is the Round Up's night show, which the Round Up describes as a Native American night pageant held every night after the rodeo at 7:45pm. Its own history page says it has entertained audiences since 1916, that the Oregon Legislature named it the state's official outdoor pageant and wild west show in 2013, and that it celebrates its 111th anniversary in 2027.

What is the earliest coffee in Pendleton during Round Up week?

The two chain drive thrus open first: Dutch Bros at 205 SW 12th St and Sorbenots at 402 SE 9th St both post a 5am start every day. Among independent stops, Pendleton Ground Up at 1803 SW Emigrant Ave opens at 6am Tuesday through Friday and 7am on Saturday, and Buckin Bean at 405 NW Despain Ave opens at 7am on weekdays.

Work with Hillcane

Round Up week runs on a 10am, 1:15pm and 7:45pm clock. Pendleton's coffee runs on its own. Here is how to make them meet.

If your Pendleton coffee shop wants Round Up visitors to find your hours before they find the gate, reach Hillcane at hillcane.co/contact or call (256) 384-2449.