The gates to the 152nd annual Colorado State Fair in Pueblo open Friday to the first wave of the estimated half-million people ready to celebrate the Centennial State.
The big picture: The festivities — featuring rodeo shows , concerts , carnival rides , monster truck competitions , and heaps of fried food — run through Labor Day.
Going to the fair this year? Here's what you need to know.
🕒 Hours: 3-11pm Monday-Thursday; 11am-11pm Friday-Sunday and on Labor Day.
💵 Entry: $15 for ages 13 and up, $7 for kids ages 5-12 and free for kids 4 and under. Additional tickets are needed for carnival rides and live music access.
- Deals and discounts are offered almost every day, including One Price Wednesday, which bundles admission, a rodeo pass and an unlimited carnival ride wristband for $15.
🎵 Music: There are numerous big-name performers on this year's lineup, including the Commodores , Trace Adkins , Ludacris and the Goo Goo Dolls . Ticket prices vary.
- Dozens of free concerts are also scheduled across multiple outdoor locations.
✨ New attraction: For the first time, the fair is featuring a nightly drone show at 9:15pm at the Big R Arena.
❤️ Fan favorites: The Colorado State Fair Parade on Aug. 24, The Governor's Plate food truck competition on Aug. 27 and the World Slopper Eating Championship on Aug. 31.
🚗 Transportation: Public parking is available in the lot south of the fairgrounds between Mesa and Northern Avenue. $5 Monday-Thursday; $10 Friday-Sunday.
- Parking is also available for $15 in a lot between Small Avenue and Tulane.
- Parking is free at the Main Street parking garage downtown. Shuttles, which are also free, run form the garage every 15-30 minutes.
📅 When to go: Attendance for last year's fair was about 509,000 , the most in more than a decade despite rain and high temperatures. With good weather, a record high could be in sight.
- To avoid the longest lines, consider going this weekend or Monday through Thursday of next week.
- The busiest day tends to be the Sunday of Labor Day weekend, when it's Fiesta Day , CPR reports . The annual tradition celebrates Hispanic culture in Colorado.
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