More than 493,000 people went to the 11-day Colorado State Fair in Pueblo which runs from late August through Labor Day. That’s about 16,000 fewer attendees than last year, which topped half a million.
A substantial portion of the overall decrease happened on opening day, which was down 21 percent from last year’s 40,000 to about 31,000 this year. The popular Fiesta Day on Sunday of Labor Day weekend, usually the busiest day at the fair, was also down about 13 percent from nearly 78,000 to 67,560. But other days were busier this year which helped make up for the losses on the slower days.
Colorado Department of Agriculture spokesperson Olga Robak said preliminary figures show food and beverage sales were up.
“This was a really good year for the fair,” she said. “Despite a slightly lower attendance than last year, this was one of the busiest years of the fair in recent years.”
Tickets sold out for several events during the fair, according to Robak, including the Monster Truck Shows, Demolition Derby, the PRCA Rodeo followed by a concert with Scotty McCreery, as well as the popular Celebración de los Charros, when expert riders dressed in traditional Mexican attire show off their equestrian and cowboying skills. New this year was a nightly drone show.
More than 100 animals raised by young Coloradans were auctioned during the Junior Livestock Sale bringing in about $476,000 total. The Grand Champion Market Beef, raised by Jake King of northeastern Colorado's Washington County, sold for $50,000.
Sloppers, the Pueblo specialty cheeseburger drowned in green chile, was featured in the annual World Slopper Eating Championship. .The winner, Major League Eater Geoff Esper, scarfed down 31.5 sloppers in 8 minutes to regain the familiar title that he lost last year.
Fair General Manager Scott Stoller is leaving the position later this year after six years at the helm. He saw the fair through the pandemic with a fair food drive-thru and other innovations during that time.
“I have had the privilege of being a part of some really cool and meaningful moments in the history of the Colorado State Fair,” he said in a written statement this week. “Most notably, guiding the organization in developing a facilities Master Plan and seeing most of that plan's first phase completed. I am also very proud of the team at the State Fair and getting to be part of some of the great projects and programs they manage.”
The Colorado Department of Agriculture posted the general manager job listing in late July. Stoller said he expects to be involved in the transition.
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