It’s showtime for local county fairs. Montezuma’s is underway, Archuleta’s kicks off Thursday, and La Plata’s begins next Wednesday.
In Montezuma County, the fair has long been a fixture of summer, celebrating the region’s deep agricultural roots, community spirit, and hardworking youths. What began as a modest gathering decades ago has evolved into a multiday event that includes livestock shows, rodeos, talent competitions, and 4-H and FFA exhibits that reflect both tradition and change.
Over the years, the Montezuma County Fair has weathered droughts, economic shifts, and cultural change. Yet its heart remains the same – a showcase of rural pride, local craftsmanship, and young people growing in confidence as they bring animals they've raised into the ring. It's a place where generations reconnect and where the values of persistence, stewardship, and community service take center stage.
Be sure to check out all the opportunities to participate. Chelsea Philpott, Jr., Livestock Committee board member shared that the open class is for the entire community. Jewelers, photographers, needleworkers, food preservers, bakers, quilters, wood and leather workers are all encouraged to enter to be judged. “Anyone who makes things.” One important change this year is that the Junior Livestock Sale will be held at 6 p.m. on Saturday in the main barn. Find the full schedule of events at montezumacounty.org/montezuma-county-fair/.
In Pagosa Springs, the Archuleta County Fair starting Thursday adds its own small-town flavor to the fair season yet shares the same foundation: youth leadership, rural resilience, and an old-fashioned sense of fun. It’s a celebration of hard work, local pride, and the kind of rural ingenuity that has long defined this region. See archuletacountyfair.com/ for more information.
The La Plata County Fair in Durango kicks off next Wednesday with the theme, “Growing from Generation to Generation,” that celebrates the “enduring traditions, hard work, and community spirit that makes La Plata County such a special place,” wrote the Board of County Commissioners in their welcome letter. “The fair is “more than an event – it’s a reflection of our shared history, the growth of our community, and the joy of passing down traditions to the next generation,” they said.
It also couldn’t be more fitting. The fairgrounds transform into a celebration of continuity – of parents passing down the love of 4-H to their kids and of friends and family members cheering in the grandstands.
La Plata’s fair blends a strong agricultural legacy with modern flair – think welding competitions and cake decorating, alongside showmanship classes. It’s one of those rare places where high school students and ranchers, bakers and woodworkers, welders and florists all find equal footing and appreciation – Montezuma County’s shared aspiration.
And for those who appreciate ‘oldies but goodies,’ Saturday evening features soft rock superstars from the 70s, Firefall and Orleans. More information and tickets can be found at laplatacountyfair.com/.
Together, these fairs form a summer trilogy that reminds us of what binds our communities together: shared history, working together, and a deep love of the land and people. Amid the chaos of the world, the sights and sounds of fair season – the low of cattle, the scent of funnel cake, the laughter (and tears as some youngsters say goodbye to their animals) in the barns – offer a comforting reminder: Some things are still built to last.
Whether you're in Cortez, Pagosa Springs, or Durango, check the schedules (and your politics at the door), and show up. Because these aren’t just county fairs – they’re reflections of who we are as a community.
