A dose of music history and much at the Colorado State Fair
Friday to Sept. 3, Colorado State Fairgrounds, 1001 Beulah Ave, Pueblo. Entry fees vary. 561-8484. coloradostatefair.com
Fairgoers are in for a dose of music history this year at the Colorado State Fair.
The Oak Ridge Boys nearly gave up their country music career 40 years ago. They might not be performing at the fair this year if not for their friend Johnny Cash.
“We worked with Johnny Cash in Las Vegas, and we were kind of struggling, our heads were hanging,” said bass singer Richard Sterban. “He could tell, so he called us to his room one day and he said, ‘Fellas, I can tell your heads are hanging, but I can also tell something very special about you guys. There’s magic between the four of you, and if you give up now, no one else would ever know that, and you’d never be able to realize your dreams.’ ”
Thanks to friends like Cash, the band still is touring, said Sterban. This year, it will be at several venues, including the Grand Ole Opry.
The fair opens Friday and runs to Sept. 3. The Oak Ridge Boys kick off the first night with hits such as “Elvira” and “Thank God for Kids.”
The group was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015, as Joan Jett & The Black Hearts were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Joan Jett & The Black Hearts also will play at the fair this year, along with newer acts such as country band Old Dominion and comedian Larry the Cable Guy.
The classical music acts are fit for the fair as it, too, has a lot of history. It’s older than the state itself, dating back 145 years. (Colorado gained statehood 142 years ago, on Aug. 1, 1876.) Fairgoers can learn more about Colorado State Fair history at the State Fair Museum at the fairgrounds this year.
A lot has been added to the fair since its humble beginnings as a horse exhibition. This year, attractions will include a butterfly encounter, stilt circus and racing pigs. Among ticketed events are the rodeo, demolition derby, a monster truck tour and the Celebración de Los Charros, or celebration of cowboys and cowgirls.
Kids can submit pet rocks to win “best dressed” or “farthest distance roller,” among other competitions, including the 4-H State Championship Show, poetry competition and a bake-off.
There are lane closures on Interstate 25 due to construction. Colorado State Fair general manager Scott Stoller advises that people take exit 97A to Central Avenue to navigate directly to the parking lot.
Seniors, military members and first responders get in at discounted rates, and special discounts apply on select days.
Families get special rates, too, and self-defense instructor Ross Cascio has some tips for parents.
Besides the obvious precautions, such as wearing sunscreen, dressing comfortably and leaving valuables at home, parents also should photograph their children in case they get lost. And they should establish a meeting place inside and outside the fairgrounds in case of emergency, said Cascio, of Krav Maga Worldwide in Los Angeles.
“It’s about being prepared for where you’re going and alert for what’s going on around you.”
Haley Witt, The Gazette, haley.witt@gazette.com
Colorado State Fair. August 24 to September 3. Colorado State Fairgrounds, 1001 Beulah Ave, Pueblo, Colorado. Entry fees vary. 561-8484. coloradostatefair.com
The Oak Ridge Boys will perform at the Budweiser Rodeo Arena on the opening night of the Colorado State Fair, August 24. Tickets are $25.
The Oak Ridge Boys are set to perform at the Budweiser Rodeo Arena on Friday, opening night of the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo; tickets are $25. The group was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
The Colorado State Fair runs August 24 to September 3.
The Colorado State Fair runs August 24 to September 3.
The Colorado State Fair runs August 24 to September 3.