Payson is the site of the annual Arizona
State Championship Old Time Fiddlers Contest, held in September. The fiddle
contest features both local and nationally-known players and awards cash
prizes. Payson is also home of two rodeos. In May the Multi-Purpose Event
Center across from the Tonto Apache Indian Reservation hosts the Gary Hardt
Memorial Rodeo. In August, the historic August Doin's Rodeo (1884) takes place
making Payson, Arizona the "Home of the World's Oldest Continuous
Rodeo." Prescott, Arizona is known as hosting the "World's Oldest
Rodeo" (1888) but took a hiatus during World War II
