Arapahoe County Fair 'Shatters' Attendance Record, Organizers Say

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, CO — Around 10,000 more visitors attended this year's Arapahoe County Fair than in 2019, which saw the previous record high, organizers said.

Around 36,854 people attended the four-day event, and a single-day record of 15,722 people entered the fairgrounds Saturday, which forced organizers to stop admitting new visitors around 8 p.m. The crowd and traffic volume in and around the site made it too risky to safely admit more people if an emergency were to occur, county and public safety officials said. Any unused Saturday tickets were honored on Sunday.

“We’re grateful to everyone who made it to the Fair this weekend and helped us set this attendance record,” said Glen Poole, Arapahoe County Fairgrounds operation manager.

“We’re sorry we had to turn away some people on Saturday night, but we did so in the interest of maintaining the highest public safety standards, and we’ve heard that everyone who did attend throughout the weekend had a great time.”

The fair, which has been held over the past 115 years, showcases the county's agricultural heritage with rodeos, 4-H exhibits, competitions and live entertainment. The event also included carnival rides, fireworks shows and family-friendly activities.

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"The event was one of the first large gatherings in the Front Range since COVID restrictions were relaxed in May, and pent-up demand for safe, affordable and outdoor-oriented family fun likely contributed to the unprecedented turnout across the weekend," Arapahoe County said in a news release.

"County officials are already looking ahead to the 2022 Fair, which will include most or all of this year’s events and amenities, as well as other features that organizers will determine in the coming months."