A large contingent of purple-clad rodeo fans is expected in Fort Worth Friday, Feb. 1, for Tarleton Night at the Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo.

The Tarleton Alumni Association event begins with a 4 p.m. reception at the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, 1720 Gendy St., and moves to the Will Rogers Coliseum in the Fort Worth Cultural District for the 7:30 p.m. performance of the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association-sanctioned event.

“We have a section reserved,” said Alumni Association President Ken Dorris. “Let’s fill the coliseum with purple and white.”

Tickets are $30. For reservations, call 254-968-9682 or visit Tarletonstate.us/FWRodeo.

This year’s rodeo — the 123rd — is the last for the venerable Will Rogers Coliseum, which has hosted the rodeo since 1944. It moves to the 14,000-seat multipurpose Dickies Arena, currently under construction, in 2020.

Tarleton, founding member of The Texas A&M University System, provides a student-focused, value-driven education marked by academic innovation and a dedication to transform today’s scholars into tomorrow’s leaders. It offers degree programs to more than 13,000 students at Stephenville, Fort Worth, Waco, Midlothian, RELLIS Academic Alliance in Bryan, and online, emphasizing real-world learning experiences that address societal needs while maintaining its core values of tradition, integrity, civility, excellence, leadership and service.