After 118 years of the El Paso County annual fair, it’s safe to say many things can be expected. But this year, the fair is adding a full rodeo and a laser show to the itinerary.

From Saturday through July 22, Calhan will host the 2023 El Paso County Fair: A Summer to Remember.

The week will have themed days starting with Military Appreciation Day and ending with First Responders Heroes Day, each complete with special events and discounted deals.

“Something we’re trying to hallmark this year is our full rodeo,” administrative technician Seth Taylor said.

“In prior years, we’ve just done bull riding, but this year we’re doing a fully CPRA .”

There will be a laser light show alongside music.

“We wanted the event to fit with the theme,” Taylor said. “It’s something new that we wanted to try and use to hopefully bring in some new audiences. … The lasers will go along with some of the country music we’ll have and go along with the beat.”

Familiar favorites such as the demolition derby and the fair queen contest are sure to bring back past visitors, but with a full week of events, there is more to the fair than the big-ticket affairs, Taylor said.

“Every day at various times, there are things like bubble shows and animal shows,” Taylor said.

“We even have an area called Fair Zone, which is just free entertainment geared mostly toward kids. There’s a lot of free daily entertainment that maybe a lot of people don’t know about. They may only come to the fair at night to attend demolition derby or the auto race, but during the day we have free, nonstop activities for everyone.”

Taylor was also involved with the creative arts side of the fair, which hosts workshop-style single-day classes in things like water bath canning and food preservation as well as even a home brew competition for amateur brewers.

Complete with food and drink vendors, live music, and classic carnival festivities, the fair is poised to have another successful year, especially with the new event additions.

What: El Paso County Fair

When: Through July 22

Where: 366 10th St, Calhan, CO 80808

Price: Admission prices vary according to day and event, see https://www.elpasocountyfair.com/p/tickets for more information

The El Paso County fair will host events and entertainment from July 15-22. Courtesy

The El Paso County fair will host events and entertainment from July 15-22. Courtesy

The El Paso County fair will host events and entertainment from July 15-22. Courtesy