PUEBLO, Colo.—The Colorado State Fair is under way in Pueblo.
The fair aims to attract about 450,000 people this year, which would be close to attendance in past years, general manager Chris Wiseman said Saturday.
The fair began Friday and runs through Sept. 1, overlapping the Democratic National Convention that begins Monday in Denver.
Wiseman said attendance on opening day at the fair was down, but said it was hard to predict what overall attendance would be.
It was unclear why attendance Friday was down. “Gas prices are up a little bit. People were still maybe eight or nine days away from paychecks. Most people get paid at the end of the month. It could be a variety of reasons, but every year may start slow. It’s hard to tell until it’s over,” Wiseman said.
The state fair advertised in a magazine that DNC delegates will see, but Wiseman said most visitors to the fair are expected to come from an 80-mile radius.
“Those in Denver who are fed up with congestion can get out of town and get to Pueblo,” he said.
Scheduled performers include Colbie Caillat, The Guess Who, Sugarland and the Smothers Brothers.
