City: Colorado Springs, CO

Category: Annual Events & Festivals

Telephone: (800) 876-4567

Description: Save room for corn dogs and deep-fried Twinkies when visiting this massive, 2-week extravaganza. The fair sports the usual suspects: horse show, 4-H competition, quilt contest, and salsa challenge, as well as about 50 other competitions. There’s the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association–­sanctioned rodeo, now in its sixth decade at the Colorado State Fair. There’s a carnival with every shooting-duck booth and whirligig ride you could imagine, and there’s monster trucks and demolition derbies. There are more than 300 vendors of crafty and unique goods and more than 50 food concessions. When evening rolls around, big-name music acts take the stage; past fairs have hosted Charley Pride to Garth Brooks. Fiesta Day celebrates the Hispanic culture in Colorado with a parade, mariachi music, special demonstrations, and the presentation of the Fiesta Queen. It’s a good old-time fair with some pretty up-to-date entertainment. The fairgrounds are large, so wear boots that are made for walking.