The 2023 Colorado State Fair begins Friday. Here's your guide to the Pueblo event

The Colorado State Fair is back Friday and families and friends near and far are undoubtedly ready to experience the sights and sounds the fair has to offer.

Whether you're interested in rodeo, carnival rides, concerts, competitions or food offerings, there’s plenty to check out at the fair, which is in its 151st year and is located at the fairgrounds in Pueblo at 1001 Beulah Ave. 

The fair starts Aug. 25, and runs through Labor Day, Sept. 4. It’s open between 3 and 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday as well as Labor Day. The carnival has similar operating hours as the fair. The Family Fun Zone rides are open when the fair is and operate until 10 p.m. 

Admission costs $15 for people 13 and older and $7 for kids between the ages of 5 and 12. Children 4 and under get in free. Access to unlimited rides at the carnival will run you $40, while the Mega Pass is $200 and includes everyday admission to the fair and unlimited carnival rides. 

Here’s what else you should know about this year’s state fair. 

Where can I purchase tickets? 

Tickets to enter the fair are available online, but for those who don’t have them before reaching the fairgrounds, make sure to visit either Gate 3 (Mesa Avenue), Gate 5 (Prairie Avenue) or Gate 9 (Beulah Avenue). Those are the only gates that sell fair admission tickets. 

What deals and discounts are available? 

• On each Friday during the fair, Aug. 25 and Sept. 1, there is free admission for seniors over age 60. Admission for everyone else is $5 until 5 p.m. Vendors will offer $5 items until 5 p.m. 
• On Sunday, Aug. 27, members of the military and first responders get $8 off admission. 
• Each Monday during the fair, Aug. 28 and Sept. 4, is CSU Pueblo Kids Day, meaning children 12 and under get free admission. 
• Fairgoers who donate two canned food items on Tuesday, Aug. 29, get free admission. 
• Visit the fair on Wednesday, Aug. 30, at a fixed price — $15 — to get fair admission, a ranch rodeo, the Ned Ledoux concert and a carnival ride wristband, though some specialty rides aren’t included. 
• A student voucher or coupon on Thursday, Aug. 31, will give fairgoers free fair admission and access to a $25 unlimited carnival ride wristband. 
• On Sunday, Sept. 3, there is a $3 discount off fair admission for people who provide a non-winning Colorado Lottery ticket. 

Where can I park? 

There is parking available in the lot south of the fairgrounds between Mesa and Northern avenues. It costs $5 Monday through Thursday and $10 Friday through Sunday. 

Parking spots also can be found at the Hangar Lot, which is accessed by heading south on Prairie Avenue between Small Avenue and Tulane Street. 

People can head to the Pueblo Transit Courtesy Shuttle at 110 S. Main St. in downtown Pueblo during fair operating hours to hitch a free ride to the fairgrounds. The shuttle runs every 15 to 30 minutes and is available between 3 p.m. and 11 p.m., Monday through Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday through Sunday; and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Labor Day.

Handicap parking is also offered and is located in designated areas along Beulah and Arroyo avenues, though the latter’s gate isn’t open to the public. Mobility rentals are available at Gate 5 on Prairie Avenue and Gate 9 on Beulah Avenue.

What’s not allowed into the fair? 

Fairgoers can’t bring in coolers, outside food or drink or their pets, unless the pet is a service animal or is competing at the fair. Knives, guns or other objects that can be interpreted as weapons are also forbidden. 

It’s prohibited to smoke pipes, cannabis, cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes at the fairgrounds. 

What attractions or events are free at the state fair? 

A new, free attraction this year is the High-Flying Pages Trapeze Show, which people can see at the State Fair Plaza at varying times each day. The Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show is also new and free and will be held every day of the fair at Triangle Park. 

Livestock tours are free and available on Monday, Aug. 28, and Tuesday, Aug. 29, north of the Sheep and Swine Barn. 

Exhibits such as the State Fair Museum, History Colorado’s "Living West" and "Do Colorado Right" exhibits are also free. Fairgoers may also check out a free show of hypnotist Richard Baker, who will perform in the evenings on the Pepsi Stage each day of the fair. 

The Canine Stars Stung Dog Show will be held either in the Ag Pavilion or east of it throughout the duration of the state fair. Shows will take place in the afternoons or early evenings. 

One of the fair's most popular events, the World Slopper Eating Championship, will take place at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 2, on the Pepsi Stage. 

For more information about free concerts and attractions, visit the state fair’s website. 

What's new at this year’s fair? 

The biggest change from last year's fair is the new walkways between Gate 5, the main entrance and Palace of Agriculture. Contractors also added grass and trees within that area and replaced the asphalt surface with a smoother one. 

That space formerly had little color or shade, making it what Colorado State Fair General Manager Scott Stoller described as a “strip mall death valley."

“There was no landscape and no flow to it,” Stoller previously told the Chieftain. “It was just sidewalks and asphalt.” 

Stoller expects the new walkways will improve foot traffic in that area and that the grass will help cool it down. The trees, although not yet large enough to provide considerable shade, could provide at least some shelter for people seeking to escape the sun. 

Stoller also said people can expect some new food stands and a different sand sculpture when they visit the fair. 

What concerts are happening at this year's fair?

There are familiar faces and new names for this year’s fair, including Chase Rice, Gabriel "Fluffy" Iglesias, Sawyer Brown, Lady A and Lil Jon, among several others. There’s at least one ticketed concert on most days during the fair and some of them are generating strong interest from fairgoers. 

For more information on ticket prices and concert times, visit the state fair’s website. 

Concerts at the state fair:2023 Colorado State Fair: From Chase Rice to Lil Jon, top concerts, events to see daily

How early should I get there if I have tickets to a concert or show? 

The Colorado State Fair encourages people to get to the fairgrounds at least 90 minutes before a concert or show starts so they don’t miss any of it. Long lines tend to build up once showtime nears. 

Chieftain reporter Josue Perez can be reached at JHPerez@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @josuepwrites. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.