By Mary Jo Coulehan | Pagosa Springs Area Chamber of Commerce
The Archuleta County Fair is celebrating its 71st birthday. What a milestone for our community. This is one of the traditional events that tries to engage the whole community, especially through our youth.
The fair begins this year on Thursday, Aug. 4, and ends Sunday, Aug. 7. Throughout the weekend, there are contests, rodeos, a petting zoo, livestock shows, games and surprises for the kids, informational booths, exhibitions and, of course, the 4-H Chuckwagon dinner, Jr. Livestock Auction and fair dance on Saturday evening.
A major component of the fair is Archuleta County’s heritage of livestock and agricultural. The 4-H organization focuses on a variety of engagement opportunities for our youth that includes not just livestock but sewing, mechanics, entomology, animal showmanship and so much more. Our youth work hard to complete their record books and work on their projects.
However, our adult population can also compete for showmanship awards in many categories including food and floral growth, photography, craft beers, quilting, art, baking and other entries.
There is still time to get your project entered. Visit the fair website listed below and register using the fair’s online system. You have until Aug. 2. Viewing these entries in the Exhibit Hall gives others of us incentive to branch out and try our hand at some of these traditional hobbies.
The rodeo component of the fair is expanded this year to include junior and senior barrel racing on Thursday evening; bares, broncs and bulls on Friday evening; an open rodeo on Saturday at noon; and then the kid’s rodeo on Sunday morning. Whether a spectator or participant, there are plenty of rodeos for every taste.
For those who like to get out and scoot their boots, multiple concerts are also offered throughout the weekend. Los Mitotitos will play Thursday evening, Jack Ellis and Out on Work Release plays Friday evening, Tim Sullivan hits the stage on Friday night after the rodeo, the San Juan Mountain Boys will entertain during the Chuckwagon dinner, and the Tylor Brandon Band will be the major performer at the dance Saturday night. If karaoke is your thing, then your turn to perform will be Sunday at noon.
The fair is Archuleta County’s time to shine on our traditions and heritage while promoting youth education and engagement. It is often a time when friends can gather and catch up on their lives, especially with so much distancing these past few years. It is a time to meet new families that have moved to Pagosa and are getting involved, and legacy families that have contributed so much to the fabric of our community.
We thank our business community for their many sponsorship contributions, for this event does not happen without community support.
Finally, if you would like to volunteer at the fair, now is your time to contribute, even a few hours. Parking, ticket taking, driving vehicles, monitoring events or contests are just some of the ways you can get involved. Think about taking time to volunteer and then take some time to enjoy yourself at the 71st annual Archuleta County Fair.
A full schedule of events can be found at www.archueltacountyfair.com. Remember, the fair is free to attend this year, so don’t miss out on your chance to get engaged in traditions of Archuleta County. And, it is fair time, so bring an umbrella or rain gear.
