The 150th Colorado State Fair begins Friday. Here's your guide to the Pueblo event

The annual Colorado State Fair will bring countless activities, performances, carnival rides and vendors to the state fairgrounds in Pueblo starting Friday, along with hundreds of thousands of visitors from across the state and beyond.

“The fair only comes around once a year, and this time we’re really amping up the fun and attractions,"said Colorado State Fair General Manager Scott Stoller, in a news release.

“We cannot wait to see you all there! Our 150th celebration includes amazing concerts, competitions, livestock shows, and food — everything we love about the State of Colorado!”

The fair's sesquicentennial celebration runs through Labor Day, Sept. 5, and will be open from 3 p.m. to 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.

The price for gate admission is $14 for anyone 13 years or older and $7 for kids ages 5 to 12. Children ages 4 and under are free with any adult. 

2022 edition of the Colorado State Fair will have several special features

This year’s unique events and attractions at the fair include a 150-ton Colorado State Fair sand sculpture created by Sandscapes, the USA Mullet Championship, History Colorado’s Power of Horses exhibit, and a commemorative fireworks display to end celebrations on Labor Day.

Another new feature will be the Colorado Proud Farm Trail, an interactive exhibit for children held in the Agriculture Pavilion.

On Saturday, Aug. 27, the fair will hold a slopper-eating contest featuring Pueblo's signature culinary construction of burgers doused in a pork green chile sauce.

The World Slopper-Eating Championship will feature the nation's top-ranked eaters, each hoping to set a world record in slopper-eating. Eaters will have eight minutes to consume as many sloppers as possible. The competitor who consumes the most wins.

The 2020 event winner, Geoffrey Esper, holds the world record at 37.5 9-ounce sloppers, according to the state fair website.

To honor his extraordinary feat of gastrointestinal fortitude, this year's contest will unveil the world's largest slopper.

"He (Esper) ate almost 10 pounds of beef, plus the rest of the slopper, so we had the idea to make a slopper showing how big that is," Stoller said.

"So we're going to make a slopper with the same amount of beef in it as the world record. It's going to be in a big cast iron skillet. We had to make a special bun and everything."

To close out the first 150 years of the Colorado State Fair on an explosive high note, the fair will have an incredible fireworks show, Stoller said, featuring over 1,000 fireworks launched over the course of 10 minutes, with 250 fireworks in the finale alone.

"It's not going to be an Olympic opening ceremony-level show, but definitely bigger than anything we've ever done here," Stoller said.

Big name performers and shows are on tap to appear in Pueblo

This year's fair includes a wide variety of performances, from country music stars and Mexican music bands to rodeos and a monster truck tour.

There will be four PRCA Ram Rodeos, three with accompanying musical acts: Friday, Aug. 26, with the Randy Rogers band; Saturday, Aug. 27, with Walker Hayes; Sunday, Aug. 28, with Eddie Montgomery of Montgomery Gentry; and one rodeo without a musical guest on Monday, Aug. 29.

Ticket prices for the rodeos with Eddie Montgomery and the Randy Rogers Band start at $28, while the rodeo without a musical guest costs $8. All rodeos take place at the Bud Light Grandstand.

While the rodeo with Walker Hayes has sold out, Hayes has another concert Saturday night (Aug. 27) at 9 p.m. at the Bud Light Grandstand. Tickets are $35 per person.

Earlier that night, Lou Gramm, the original lead singer of "Foreigner" will perform with special Guest "Berlin" starting at 7 p.m. at the Southwest Motors Event Center. Tickets cost between $28 and $38.

For those in search of a good laugh in a family-friendly environement, comedian Jim Gaffigan will perform Sunday, Aug. 28, at 5 p.m. at the Southwest Motors Event Center. Tickets range from $35 to $80.

On Thursday, Sept. 1, rapper T.I will perform at 7 p.m. at Southwest Motors Event Center. Tickets cost between $30 and $60.

The Band Perry will perform with special guest Priscilla Block on Friday, Sept. 2, at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $30 to $60.

On Sunday, Sept. 4, at 7 p.m., the Celebracion De Los Charros With Los Tucanes De Tijuana will be held at the Bud Light Grandstand, while Stone Temple Pilots will perform at the Southwest Motors Event Center.

Tickets for the former will be $40, while tickets for the latter will require a voucher from the Colorado State Lottery with the purchase of more than $20 in Lottery tickets between June 27 and Sept. 4. Tickets for the concert cannot be purchased through the box office.

For gearheads, the Toughest Truck Monster Truck Tour will perform on Friday, Sept. 2, at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 3, at 1 p.m. at the Bud Light Grandstand. Tickets cost between $23 and $27.

A Tommy G Memorial Demolition Derby will take place at 7 p.m. that same Saturday, Sept. 3, also at the Bud Light Grandstand, with tickets ranging from $25 to $32.

Culinary aficionados can purchase a ticket to the Governer's Plate event at the PB&T Bank Pavilion on Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 5 p.m., and and vote for the people's choice dish. Tickets are $20 and include nine appetizer-sized dishes, one from each of the participating food trucks.

Seven of the food truck entries are from Pueblo. Gov. Jared Polis will select his favorite dish for top honors.

Deals and discount days for entry into the fair

The fair will have several discount days throughout its 11-day run in Pueblo, including:

• CSU Pueblo Kids Day on Aug. 26 and Sept. 2, with free admission for children ages 12 and under;
• Black Hills Energy American Heroes Day on Aug. 28, where military members and first responders get 50% off gate admission;
• Senior Day on Aug. 29 and Sept. 5, where admission is free for seniors over age 60;
• $2 Tuesday on Aug. 30, where both fair admission and carnival rides are only $2 (some specialty rides excluded), along with fair food bites and more;
• One Price Wednesday on Aug. 31, where visitors only pay $14 for fair admission, a ranch rodeo and a carnival wristband (some specialty rides excluded);
• Back to School Day on Sept. 1, with free fair admission and a discounted $25 for an unlimited carnival ride wristband with student voucher or coupon;
• Colorado Lottery Special on Sept. 4, which features $3 off fair admission when visitors bring a a non-winning Colorado Lottery ticket

Where can the public park?

Public parking will be available in a lot south of the fairgrounds between Mesa and Northern Avenue. Parking is $5 Monday through Thursday and $10 Friday through Sunday. Parking can only be purchased with cash. 

A shuttle will also run from Pueblo's Main Street Parking Garage at 110 S. Main St. to the fair gates on Prairie Avenue. Shuttles will run every 15 to 30 minutes. Garage parking and the shuttle service are both free. 

Shuttle hours are: 3 p.m. to 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.

Acts that can be seen for free (with fair admission)

All throughout the fairgrounds there will be free acts and entertainment to satisfy visitors of all ages and interests. They include:

• Chris Mabry, hypnotist;
• Groovy Guy, juggler and magician;
• The Canine Star, a stunt dog show;
• Washboard Willy, musician;
• Skip Banks, comedian;
• The Great American Petting Farm;
• Moo U, guided livestock tours;
• The Power of Horses, an exhibit that "features a wide variety of artifacts and items that celebrate the horse’s presence in pop culture" according to the state fair;
• Do Colorado Right, an exhibit covering recreation opportunities around the state;
• Colorado State Fair Museum, which features history of the Centennial State.

For more information about the Colorado State Fair and this year's offerings, visit coloradostatefair.com.

Questions, comments, or story tips? Contact Justin at jreutterma@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @jayreutter1.