Colorado State Fair is open but unrecognizable

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Colorado State Fair normally attracts tens of thousands of people annually to Pueblo. The Colorado Department of Agriculture said this event saw more than 466,000 people last year.

However, even as the state fair opened its doors last Friday, this year's event has seen a massive drop in attendance amid COVID-19 restrictions and event modifications.

With the rodeo canceled and many events going virtual, it seems like the only fair activity garnering much in-person attention is the Drive-Thru for fair food.

In response to the high demand, additional Drive-Thru dates have been added next weekend. More than 400 cars drove through the fairgrounds, and nearly 2,000 food items were sold, with the top three favorites being funnel cakes, jumbo corn dogs, and fresh-squeezed lemonade.

It's the only component of the fair regularly open to the general public.

Despite the Drive-Thru option, a large portion of the events can only be enjoyed virtually: a virtual day camp for kids; video competitions for 4-H Club and Future Farmers of America contestants; and free on-demand videos providing contests and other entertainment.

While Colorado's State Fair is one of the few similar events in the nation still happening, the small fraction of visitors is a harsh reality amid COVID-19 and restrictions at the fairgrounds.