Get ready for food, fun and animals at county fairs around the Denver area

There are a bunch of different county fairs coming up in upcoming weeks in and around the Denver metro area. It's a great opportunity to soak in some summer family fun, eat yummy food and enjoy rides. It's also a chance to connect residents of urban and suburban areas with residents of the more rural sections of Colorado, where the agricultural economy plays a critical role.   

Many fairs have been operating annually for well above 100 years. Tickets are required for certain events at the fairs, including rodeos and rides. Here's a look at some of the biggest county fairs near the Mile High City.

Larimer County Fair, Aug. 4-8

Over the course of five days visitors to the Larimer County Fair can "enjoy the diverse heritage of the Northern Front Range." It takes place at the The Ranch in Loveland, located just off Interstate 25 at 5280 Arena Circle. The Ranch has been the county's fairgrounds location for more than 20 years. Before that the county fair was held at the Old Fairgrounds just south of downtown Loveland. This is the 140th year of the fair and it features three nights of PRCA Rodeo and a county fair parade in downtown Loveland in the morning on July 29.

Boulder County Fair, Aug. 10-13

The county fair in Boulder happens every year in Longmont at the Boulder County Fairgrounds. It also includes a parade that has been taking place since the late 1860s. The Kiwanis Club of Longmont has sponsored it since the early 1960s. That happens on Aug. 5 at 10 a.m. The website with information about the parade says "floats, bands, horses and people" from all parts of the county will march through downtown Longmont.

Douglas County Fair, July 28-Aug. 6

The Douglas County Fair & Rodeo "holds a special place in the hearts of Douglas County residents," according to its website. It was established in 1892 and is held at the Douglas County Events Center in Castle Rock across a span of 8 days. It includes PRCA Rodeo and a junior livestock sale. There will be horses, llamas, goats, sheep, pigs, cows, and cats and dogs. This year's fair and rodeo queen is Clara Griffith, a junior at Ponderosa High School, and the fair and rodeo queen attendant is Anna Bajaj, a University of Colorado Boulder student.

Adams County Fair, Aug. 2-6

The first Adams County Fair took place 119 years ago and included an awesome sounding large scale tomato fight. Nowadays there's no tomato battle but there is a demolition derby on Aug. 4, a cornhole competition on Aug. 5 and a Mexican rodeo event on Aug. 6. The fair takes place at Riverdale Regional Park Complex at 9755 Henderson Road in Brighton. There will be ticketed musical concerts including by ones country music performers Priscilla Block (Aug. 2) and Jordan Davis (Aug. 3). Some of the food options include funnel cakes, frozen cheesecake, crepes, fried candy bars, strawberry kebabs, egg rolls and a bayou alligator brat.

Weld County Fair, now through July 31

The Weld County Fair started last weekend and is running through the end of the month at Island Grove Regional Park in Greeley. It was established in 1918 and allows residents to "exhibit skills in a wide variety of areas including agriculture, livestock, natural resources, engineering, consumer and family, fine arts, horticulture and family living." It includes a pancake breakfast on Thursday morning and a community BBQ on Sunday, both of which are free. There's a junior livestock sale, a bucket calf show, sheep show and rabbit show. Model rockets will be launched by 4-H members on Sunday morning. Sunday will also feature a corvette show and the WRCA Weld County Fair Ranch Rodeo.

Arapahoe County Fair, July 27-30

Get ready for 4 days of fun at this year's Arapahoe County Fair. In addition to carnival rides, live music and food, there's a stunt dog show, mutton bustin, and CPRA Rodeo. The Arapahoe County Fairgrounds are located on East Quincy Avenue in Aurora in the far southeastern edge of the Denver metro area. The grounds include an arena where animals are displayed, a kids corral, a petting farm, a "Fairyland" area and the indoor Heritage Hall with demonstrations and hands-on activities. There's also a craft beer festival during the fair called Pours on the Plains.

Many of these fairs are members of the Colorado Association of Fairs and Shows. Visit coloradofairs.org for a listing of other fairs taking place across the state.

La Plata County Fair, August 9-13

Attendees of the 2023 La Plata County Fair, taking place Aug. 9-13, are encouraged to use public transportation and the provided shuttle service, as parking will be extremely limited in and around the La Plata County Fairgrounds.

Due to several factors, there will be almost no available parking at the fairgrounds. Further, parking will also be unavailable at Durango High School and Miller Middle School due to construction projects.

Handicap parking will be available in the designated spaces by the Extension Building. In the event those spaces are filled, a drop-off area will be made available as well.

Attendees are encouraged to consider the following options:

• Park downtown and taking a free Durango Transit Trolley that runs every 20 minutes from the Transit Center to the High School until 8 p.m.
• Park at the Durango Public Library or at the old Mercy Hospital (after hours) and walk the River Trail to the Fairgrounds
• Carpooling with other families/friends is strongly encouraged regardless of where you choose to park
• A shuttle service will be available Friday, Aug. 11 from 6-10 p.m. and Saturday, Aug. 12 from 10 a.m.- 10 p.m. for a park & ride from the Durango Public Library and Needham Elementary School