Fair foods, carnival rides & mutton bustin': What to know ahead of the Larimer County Fair

Get back to Northern Colorado's agricultural roots with some good old fashioned fair fun.

The Larimer County Fair will return to Loveland for five days of fair festivities and three nights of rodeo events. Here's what to know before you go:

When is the Larimer County Fair?

The fair kicks off 9:30 a.m. Saturday with its annual parade through downtown Loveland . The main event runs from Aug. 2-6 at The Ranch Events Complex, 5280 Arena Circle, in Loveland. Fair festivities will go from:

• Aug. 2: 4-10 p.m.
• Aug. 3: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Aug. 4: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Aug. 5: 4-10 p.m.
• Aug. 6: 4-10 p.m.

What about the carnival?

Carnival Americana — the fair's section of carnival rides and games — is open until midnight each night. Separate tickets are required for the carnival. One-day passes to the carnival cost $40 and all-days mega passes are $100. You can purchase them through The Ranch's website or ticketing website AXS.com.

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What other kind of events can I expect at the fair?

The fair will play host to The Canine Stars stunt dogs, giant EverBlocks building blocks, a vintage tractor display, a mobile Earth and space observatory, a ninja obstacle course, the Globe of Death stunt riders, drone racing, a petting zoo, pony rides and more. For a full schedule of events, visit The Ranch's website.

When is the Larimer County Fair PRCA Rodeo?

Rodeo events — including bare back riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, mutton bustin' and more — will take place at Blue Arena over three nights from Aug. 4-6. Doors open at 6 p.m. and events start at 7. Tickets are required for the rodeo. You can find them at ticketing site AXS.com.

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What is there to eat at the fair?

There will be a mix of food trucks stationed throughout the fair, as well as some food vendors inside Carnival America — think funnel cake, cotton candy and lemonade.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fair foods, carnival rides & mutton bustin': What to know ahead of the Larimer County Fair