Arkansas Valley Fair is longest consecutive fair in state

(ROCKY FORD, Colo.) — To say that melons mean a lot to Southern Colorado is a bit of an understatement.

The melons grown in the Rocky Ford area are so important, that the crop is a key point for the Arkansas Valley Fair, Colorado’s longest consecutive running fair. “We’re the oldest continuous, we did not stop during wartime,” explained Sally Cope, the Fair Manager.

George Swink was the founder of Rocky Ford. He was given melon seeds that led to an abundance of crops in 1878. Swink, according to Cope, took the melons to the train depot where he would pass out slices to those passing through.

“He did that every year until it grew so large, people came from surrounding communities,” Cope said. “He moved his watermelon pile to the north of his property that is north of Main Street.”

At times, upwards of fifty thousand people would flood Rocky Ford for Watermelon Day, held annually during the fair. The theme for this year’s fair is “The Tradition Lives On.”

“We’re continuing all of the things that the families brought before us,” said Cope.

The 147th Arkansas Valley Fair runs August 14th-17th.

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