Colorado State Fair and Fairgrounds Continue Serving the Community
In partnership with: Colorado Department of Agriculture
Established in Pueblo nearly 150 years ago, the Colorado State Fair is far more than an annual event; it’s a Centennial State institution that residents can count on. Coloradans can also count on the Colorado State Fairgrounds, which have historically served as a local community hub during crises. This ethos of community service continues to reside in the heart of the Fair today.
“The Colorado State Fair not only brings together agricultural organizations like 4-H and FFA, but it also unites the entire community,” says Scott Stoller, general manager of the Colorado State Fair. “It’s the state’s largest summer event, drawing more than 466,000 people, and Pueblo takes pride in that. Plus, the fairgrounds have a history of meeting local needs during hard times and emergencies – that’s also something this community takes a lot of pride in, and for good reason.”
Deeply Rooted
The Colorado State Fair has been held in Pueblo since it began in 1872, but it didn’t find its current home at the Colorado State Fairgrounds until 1901. That year, with its new half-mile racetrack, 300-foot-long grandstand, exhibition halls and stables, the fair drew a record-breaking 16,000 attendees.
It didn’t take long for the fairgrounds to serve the state in a larger way. During World War I, the Colorado State Fairgrounds became a training base for Colorado militia troops, and the site helped create jobs during the Great Depression by participating in New Deal work-relief programs. In the 1930s, the fairgrounds were also temporarily home to the Civilian Conservation Corps, an organization that developed programs to help provide unemployed young men with work in natural resources conservation.
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“Many of the fairgrounds’ buildings and structures were constructed during the Great Depression, thanks to the Works Progress Administration, which was very beneficial for Colorado and its residents during that difficult time,” says Chris Wiseman, former general manager of the Colorado State Fair and current Pueblo County Commissioner. “In recent years, the fairgrounds have sheltered families and animals affected by wildfires, state organizations have trained their employees on the property – and that’s just a small sampling. Pueblo institutions know the fairgrounds are available to them if needed.”
A need arose again in 2020 – this time, in the midst of a global pandemic.
A Community Hub
In April 2020, the Colorado State Fairgrounds collaborated with Pueblo County to open a free drive-thru COVID-19 self-testing site. Stoller says it was an easy decision to offer this service to the community, and he was proud to be part of the fairgrounds’ long legacy of service.
“My staff and I were fully on board to provide COVID-19 testing at the fairgrounds,” Stoller says. “We have the space and the infrastructure, and I’m happy we could be part of this effort.”
Despite COVID-19 and its associated challenges, the Colorado State Fair was still held in 2020, making it one of only 15 state fairs across the U.S. to open in any capacity. However, unlike previous years that included live concerts and in-person entertainment across the fairgrounds’ 102 acres, 2020’s fair primarily featured agricultural competitions, virtual activities and drive-thru events.
“The Colorado State Fair means a great deal to many people in our community and state, so it was important for us to do something in 2020,” Stoller says. “Even though it couldn’t be nearly as expansive as it usually is, we stayed true to our core principles, and we were able to safely host on-site animal competitions for 4-H and FFA members as well as a livestock auction that raised more than $298,200 [for youth in agriculture]. All things considered, it was a success – and we’re already looking forward to next year’s fair.”
For more information about the happenings at the Colorado State Fairgrounds, visit coloradostatefairgrounds.com.