Commissioner starts petition to keep State Fair in Pueblo
Pueblo County Commissioner Sal Pace is leading the newest effort to keep the Colorado State Fair in Pueblo.
“We want to send a message to lawmakers in Denver and at the Capitol we want the State Fair to stay here in Pueblo,” Pace said.
Pace started an online petition, encouraging fairgoers to sign a petition that he plans to show state lawmakers. A portion of the petition reads: “In recent weeks we’ve heard metro lawmakers and even the Denver Post call for relocating the Colorado State Fair out of Pueblo.”
As of Monday afternoon, Pace had collected more than 3,500 signatures and hopes to collect 5,000 by the time the fair ends next Monday.
“We want to send a message to lawmakers in Denver and at the Capitol we want the State Fair to stay here in Pueblo,” Pace said.
Chris Wiseman, general manager of the State Fair, supports Pace’s efforts.
“Even the new facilities that they’ve built up north don’t have dormitories. They don’t have buildings that are dedicated just to 4H. They don’t have the infrastructure to do what we have to do,” Wiseman said.
KRDO NewsChannel 13 asked several fairgoers if they’d continue going to the fair if it was moved to Denver.
“I probably wouldn’t go simply because the traffic situation and it’s so congested in Denver,” said Diane Collins, of Colorado Springs
Puebloan Ken Stevens agreed. “It’s too far for me to have to drive. Taking a couple of horses up there is kind of rough,” said Stevens, whose sun participates in 4H events.
“I grew up in Pueblo County and the fair is Pueblo,” said Melissa Bringhurst, who now lives in Castle Rock. “The fair’s in Pueblo and the fair belongs in Pueblo.”
It’s that message that Pace plans to drive home to lawmakers.
“There’s certain people up in Denver who think only good things can be in Denver, and if it’s not in Denver, it’s not good. They’re obviously mistaken,” Pace said.
Those who support moving the fair to Denver argue it would be more profitable there, and draw a bigger crowd.
It is KRDO NewsChannel 13’s policy not to include links to petitions.
In other fair news, attendance for the first three days of the fair exceeded turnout for the same time last year by 2,271 people. On Friday, 55,068 people visited the fair compared to 49,559 in 2014.
Attendance on Saturday and Sunday was slightly down from last year, with 54,581 visitors on Saturday compared to 56,859 last year. On Sunday, 33,938 fairgoers were there compared to 34,898 in 2014.
