Colorado State Fair: Concerts headlined by Ludacris, Shane Smith; plus new carnival rides, food, 4H exhibits

The Colorado State Fair is a whole lot of country and a little mishmash of everything else.

Bringing the country to the 2024 concert lineup are some of the headlining musicians, such as Shane Smith & The Saints, Scotty McCreery, Trace Adkins and Lonestar. Quenching the thirst for early 2000s hip-hop, which does well at the fair, says General Manager Scott Stoller, is Ludacris. Adding more genre variety on the marquee are The Commodores and The Spinners. Banda music, a Mexican musical style, is represented by Banda El Recodo. And just to mix it up even more, ’90s rock favorites the Goo Goo Dolls also will perform.

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The State Fair opens Friday and runs through Sept 2 at the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo.

“We try to keep prices affordable,” Stoller said. “We’re a mission-based organization so tickets to our shows are less expensive because we want to be more accessible to more people. We could charge more, but we’re more focused on getting families out and having a good time.”

New this year: a Wahlburgers trailer with hamburgers by the Wahlberg family, which includes celebrity brothers Donnie and Mark Wahlberg; Big Surf, a new carnival ride featuring a giant slide with six lanes and four and a half humps; the Extreme Pogo Stunt Show, which sounds just like its name; and a nightly drone show at 9:15 p.m. in the Big R Stores Arena.

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Returning: the popular All American High Dive Show, four nights of PRCA rodeo events, and, of course, the agriculture.

“We’re known for agriculture — it’s a huge piece,” Stoller said. “If you don’t get a chance to walk through the barns and see the kids’ projects, you’re missing out on the soul of the show.”

Between 6,000 to 7,000 kids participate in the 4H events and horse and livestock shows.

“It’s not always about raising animals, it’s very diverse. It’s a project you work on all year and this is your chance to learn from the project,” Stoller said. “It’s the Super Bowl or World Series for 4Hers.”

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Stoller offers some pro tips for attendees: Buy tickets online prior to the first day of the fair for a better deal. If you don’t beat the deadline, go online to coloradostatefair.com to check for other deals and discounts. Get free parking in the Main Street Parking Garage downtown, at 110 S. Main St., and catch a free five- to eight-minute shuttle drive to the fair.

“The fair is a great place for multigenerational families to come together,” Stoller said.

“It’s one of the last great gathering places. It doesn’t matter who you are, it’s made for you.”