Fairs and Carnivals

The Denver County Fair online ticket store is open for business -- with early-bird pricing!

It's time to gear up for the third annual Denver County Fair, which is aiming to make its trifecta year the best ever. Got a cherry pie to die for? An elegantly stitched quilt? A hen that struts like nobody's business? You have until midnight on July 26 to enter competitions; visit the website for c ... More >>

Marijuana brownies contests nixed at Routt County Fair: No green ribbon for you!

The authors of Amendment 64 understood that the measure, which allows adults 21 and over to use and possess small amounts of marijuana, would have far-reaching effects at every level of Colorado society. But did they consider whether the law would allow marijuana-related bake-offs at county fairs? ... More >>

Man Up

Add your slice of the pie to the Denver County Fair's new online "fair-raiser"

How much does it cost to put on a county fair? According to Tracy Weil of the Denver County Fair, about $200,000 -- and the DCF isn't funded in any way by the county, unlike most traditional fairs. Of course, that's also what helps sets the DCF apart from all the other fairs: Weil and fair director ... More >>

Denver County Fair: Viva Denver Gets Loco on Sunday

The second annual Denver County Fair is already under way, and in honor of the fact that one-third of Denver County's population is Latino, one-third of this year's fair will be Latino. From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, the fair will be devoted to Viva Denver, a celebration of Latino culture. The fun ... More >>

Ruby Ann Boxcar brings trailer park truth to Denver County Fair

Ruby Ann Boxcar is one of the bonafide stars of this year's Denver County Fair, which runs tomorrow through Sunday. Hailed as the Dame Edna of the Trailer Park, Boxcar is a performer, speaker, and the author of numerous cookbooks that celebrate the art of frugal, second-hand living. A big personalit ... More >>

All’s Fair

Denver County Fair Geek Pavilion: "Stormtroopers, zombies, steampunks ... it's going to be pretty dang cool"

Fear not, geeks (and geek-curious): The Geek Pavilion at the second annual Denver County Fair, which runs from Friday, August 10 through Sunday, August 12 at the National Western Complex, is in excellent hands. That's because Dana Cain, the Denver County Fair's director, is passionate about nerd lif ... More >>

The Denver County Fair says: Yes, in my back yard! Enter competitions now

Update: A lot of folks are reporting bumper crops this warm summer. How about you? If you haven't already entered your prized eggplant or handmade quilt (because, hey, not all of us garden) in the Denver County Fair, you've been given a reprieve: The fair has extended its online competition entry d ... More >>

Ten new reasons to buy your ticket to the Denver County Fair now

If last year's inaugural Denver County Fair was a grand experiment, this year's "is going to blow the first one out of the water on all counts!" says DCF maestra Dana Cain. That's because Cain's mental notepad was a cover-to-cover frenzy of new ideas and lessons learned by the time the 2011 event wa ... More >>

Zombies! Miniature horses! Iguana beauty contests! Robot wars!

The Denver County Fair -- version 2.0 -- is coming back to the National Western Complex on August 10, just over five weeks from now. We've just come from a mind-blowing powwow with DCF masterminds and will soon share all the fair's new twists and turns. But first, there's news about how you can get ... More >>

All's Fair

Ben and Maggie Weinroth clear their names after Colorado State Fair goat-doping allegations

Sue Weinroth describes it best: "This goat story got legs and ran," says the mom, shaking her head. Last summer, she watched her two children, nineteen-year-old Maggie and fourteen-year-old Ben, lose their titles, reputations and hobbies when they were banned from the Colorado State Fair on allegati ... More >>

Maggie and Ben Weinroth, accused of drugging championship goats, fight to clear their name

The world of competitive livestock showing is a quiet one, perhaps, but it can be cutthroat. After nineteen-year-old Maggie Weinroth and her fourteen-year-old brother Ben were accused of cheating at the 2011 Colorado State Fair by drugging their prize winning goats, Ben was banned from competition, ... More >>

Denver County Fair announces dates, changes for 2012

Scenes from the 2011 Denver County Fair.​It's not too early to make plans for the second annual Denver County Fair -- which has been moved to the second weekend in August, starting on Friday, August 10 and running through Sunday, August 12, with extended hours. "We won't be up against the Dra ... More >>

Manly Gifts for Manly Men

Stick it! And give thanks for the Denver County Fair cookbook

Brandon MarshallAndrew Novick's always got something cooking.​At a release party this weekend for the Denver County Fair's cookbook, Andrew Novick, the fair's new entertainment director (who hosted the X-Treme Pancake Breakfast at the inaugural fair last summer), served up his own creation: Th ... More >>

Thanksgiving on a stick! The Denver County Fair throws a party for its cookbook

​The folks who put on the Denver County Fair last July didn't have a lot of control over the food sold at the event: The concessionaires came with the National Western Stock Show venue. But they're making up for any complaints about that with their very tasty Denver County Fair Cookbook, which ... More >>

The Circus Is in Town

Better Than Fair

Denver County Fair and balanced report: Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario

​ My 45-hour-long art exhibit at the Denver County Fair was filled with fun, but there were some highlights...

Reader: Only a commie would criticize the food at a fair

Charles Phoenix celebrated retro recipes at the Denver County Fair.​The Denver County Fair may have celebrated some of this city's most innovative entrepreneurs -- but the vendors selling food there didn't rank among them. Jenny An's criticism of the eating opportunities at this inaugural fa ... More >>

Denver County Fair is a hipster paradise for animals and Bat Boy

​The headlines across the country this morning proclaim "Denver bets on a county fair, aiming at hipsters," which would have been fine, except for the fact that the best thing about the County Fair, like all County Fairs, is the animals. Goats and chickens and roosters and adorable rabbits all ... More >>

Take me to the Denver County Fair -- but on a full stomach, please

This kid was not excited about the culinary choices, either.​The beer at the Denver County Fair is $8 for 20 ounces -- that's nearly ten bucks for a big cup of Coors, Coors Light or Blue Moon. Yes, those are the only options (but at least the brews are local). I was so stunned by the cost that ... More >>

Seedy cartoonist to bedazzle urban farmers at Denver County Fair: Kenny Be's Hip Tip

​ The illustration above appeared as the third panel of my "Predictions 2011" Worst-Case Scenario comic in the December 30, 2010 issue of Westword. I was predicting that the success of the Denver County Fair would turn all loft and apartment residents into rooftop and balcony farmers. But, in ... More >>

What is an X-Treme Pancake Breakfast without Earl Grey butter, Kimchi and Lil Smokies?

Anthony Camera​Culture collector Andrew Novick has been throwing his annual summer "BreakfastBQ" -- an outdoor barbeque-style pancake party -- for his friends in Denver for over a decade now. But this year, he's going big. Coined the "Andrew Novick's X-treme Pancake Breakfast!" by Denver Count ... More >>

The Denver County Fair Arts Pavilion: All Colorado, all the time! Here's what you'll see

Lisa Fricker​ What can you expect in the Denver County's Fair's landmark Arts Pavilion? Not even pavilion manager (and official fair poster artist) Mark Penner-Howell knows for certain at this juncture, at least as far as the big juried show is concerned, but there are at least 400 entries to ... More >>

Charles Phoenix on fried cereal, the genesis of the Cherpumple and molded gelatin

​If you know retro -- and particularly mid-century -- you know retro geek Charles Phoenix, a child of the endless car lots and fast food restaurants of Southern California who is famous across the nation for his mid-mod slide shows and modernist expertise. And you might even know about his sid ... More >>

Kick Loose at Freedom Fest

Update: Devo at the Denver County Fair tickets go on sale

​Update: Yay! DEVO Tickets went on sale at 10 a.m. this morning! Get yours at the Denver County Fair website. It's official: As previously reported here a few weeks ago, Barry Fey joined the Denver County Fair fold to help Dana Cain and Tracy Weil wrangle a high-profile act music headliner fo ... More >>

Summer guide: The Denver County Fair is about to blow other county fairs away

​Yesterday, we brought you the news that Devo is set to headline the Denver County Fair -- good news for anyone inclined shape it up/get it straight/move forward/move ahead. But there will also be about one million other things to do at the Fair, plus other fairs to go to, weird-ass attraction ... More >>

Summer 2011: All's fair in Colorado this summer

Electric Daisy Carnival lineup revealed for 2011

​Insomniac Events and the folks at Triad Dragons are gearing up for the the fourth annual Electric Daisy Carnival at the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds. Expect plenty of carnival rides, massive, light-infused art installations, and, of course, scads of beautiful, painted faces supporting the carn ... More >>

The Denver County Fair: Where poetry blooms

​Poetry is all about words well chosen; success in gardening starts with the right seeds. Placement, or syntax, means everything to both: While the poet needs to know exactly when to let the sun shine directly on a word and when to hide it in shadow, the gardener must likewise synchronize his ... More >>

Gettin' Crafty: Crafty Ballyhoo and the top ten Do's and Don'ts of craft fairs

The site: Grant-Humphreys Mansion ​At Gettin' Crafty this week, we take a break from crafting to admire the crafts of others. Namely the talented crafters and designers participating at the second annual Crafty Ballyhoo, put on by Denver Handmade Alliance. This event also served as an etiquett ... More >>

Barry Fey lured out of retirement to join Denver County Fair team as musical director

Legendary local concert promoter Barry Fey, who retired in 1997, is back in the game. We just received word from the Denver County Fair owners, Dana Cain and Tracy Weil, that Fey has been tapped as musical director. The Rockfather will be booking the talent for Saturday night's concert and will als ... More >>

The Denver County Fair welcomes legendary promoter Barry Fey into the fold

​The Denver County Fair this summer is already going to be a historical occasion -- it is, after all, the first county fair ever for Denver -- but it just got even more historic: Today, event impresario Dana Cain announced that the fair had acquired the services of Barry Fey, the near-mythical ... More >>

Dana Cain's top ten things needed for a successful county fair

A Stitch in Time

Job creation is the goal of the State Fair Job Fair: Kenny Be's Worst-Case Scenario

Slight changes to the scheduled attractions at the annual Colorado State Fair in Pueblo could transform the dated farm show into a much needed economy-boosting job fair...​ Big experience, extreme references and speed résumé would be the three main events at the State Fair Job Fair Olympics ... More >>

Colorado State Fair promises food fit for ... a state fair

Fair food ferris wheel = ?​This year, the Minnesota State Fair is introducing corn dog pizza and camel-on-a-stick to its fair-worthy menu. Meanwhile, Iowa debuted octopus-shaped "octodogs," and offered deep-fried pineapple and a number of other weird creations at its state fair, which wrap ... More >>

Colorado State Fair now has looser restrictions on alcohol. Drink up!

A Flickr photoGetting your drink on at the state fair just got easier.​It may not have all the amenities of Las Vegas or New Orleans, but the Colorado State Fair is starting to look more and more like Sin City and The Big Easy in the alcoholic beverage department.

The Colorado State Fair wants your salsa, your green chili and more

​It's not all quilting and scrapbooking, folks. Though we admit we're a little weirded out by the "Dress Your Doll" contest on tap for this year's Colorado State Fair, we're going to try to overlook that in favor of the fair's introduction of some Colorado-centric categories to its cooking com ... More >>

The Electric Daisy Carnival: Killer tunes, carnival rides and art took off Saturday night

​ The Electric Daisy Carnival 06.12.10 | Arapahoe County Fairgrounds Since 1996, the Electric Daisy Carnival has morphed and spread from a Southern California party to a multi-venue conglomeration of parties that have now gone global (Puerto Rico's Carnival is August 28 this year -- plenty o ... More >>

A Stitch in Time

Get your junk food fix at the Colorado State Fair

​The Colorado State Fair kicks off today in Pueblo with rodeos, carnival rides and parades, but the real reason to hit it up? The frosty lemonades, ice-cold beer, meatball sandwiches, tacos, nachos, menudo, green chile, pizza, hot dogs, hamburgers, roasted corn, pork chops-on-a-stick, Thai foo ... More >>

A Do-It-Yourself Party

Learn cool crafts on Colfax.

All's Fair at the Fair

All's Fair

A day of cucumbers, cooks and collages in Boulder.

Ropin' and Ridin'

The Stampede turns 85.