What the Garfield County Fair and Rodeo Is
The Garfield County Fair and Rodeo is the county's biggest summer week, held at the Garfield County Fairgrounds in Rifle. The 2026 fair was the 88th annual, with the theme "Red, White and Blue - A Fair for You!" It also marked 110 years of 4-H, Colorado's 150th anniversary and the nation's 250th birthday. The fairgrounds were built in the late 1930s as a Works Progress Administration project.
The Week (2026)
| Day | What happens |
|---|---|
| Sat, Aug 1 | Kickoff parade on Railroad Ave., 10 a.m. to noon; Summer of Thunder Car Show, noon to 4 p.m. |
| Mon, Aug 3 | Poultry show, 8 a.m. |
| Tue, Aug 4 | Rabbit show 8 a.m.; sponsor BBQ 5:30 p.m.; Family and Kidz Rodeo 6:30 p.m. |
| Wed, Aug 5 | Swine show 8 a.m.; midway opens 3 p.m.; PRCA/WPRA ProRodeo 7 p.m. |
| Thu, Aug 6 | Sheep show 9 a.m.; goat show 1 p.m.; beef showmanship 5 p.m.; PRCA Xtreme Bulls 7 p.m. |
| Fri, Aug 7 | Beef show 9 a.m.; round robin showmanship 2 p.m.; concert with Sawyer Brown and Casey Donahew, 7 p.m. |
| Sat, Aug 8 | Buyer's BBQ 11 a.m.; livestock awards 12:30 p.m.; Junior Livestock Sale 1 p.m.; Demolition Derby 7 p.m. |
| Sun, Aug 9 | Check-out for livestock, 4-H and Open Class exhibits |
4-H competitions and shooting sports contests run from July 10 through August 3, ahead of fair week.
Rodeo and Entertainment
- Family and Kidz Rodeo (Aug 4, outdoor arena): free to watch. Registration is 4 to 5:30 p.m. with line-up at 6 p.m. Entry is $15 for mutton bustin', steer riding, breakaway roping, junior breakaway, barrel racing, junior barrel racing and pole bending; mixed team roping is $25 per team.
- PRCA/WPRA ProRodeo (Aug 5): 7 p.m., gates at 6 p.m. Bareback, saddle bronc, bull riding, steer wrestling, team roping, tie-down roping and barrel racing. Wednesday is "Tough Enough to Wear Pink" night.
- PRCA Xtreme Bulls (Aug 6): 7 p.m., gates at 6 p.m., with Veterans' Night. Fans are asked to wear red, white and blue.
- Concert (Aug 7): 7 p.m., gates at 6 p.m. Lawn chairs and coolers are not allowed; accessible seating is available on request.
- Demolition Derby (Aug 8): 7 p.m. Tickets often sell out early. Vehicles need seat belts, rollover bars and interior cages. Entry forms and rules come from Trent at 970-776-0369.
Tickets are sold at garfieldcountyfair.com.
Entry Rules and Deadlines
- Open Class: exhibit drop-off runs Aug 1 to 3, with Aug 3 the registration cutoff. Artwork and photography must be entered by Sunday, Aug 2. Judging is Aug 4.
- Commissioners' Cookie Jar Contest: entries due Aug 6 by 11 a.m. Jars must hold at least a half-gallon with three varieties of cookies, at least a dozen of each. Prizes are $40, $20 and $15.
- Apple Pie Contest: entries due Aug 6 by 11 a.m. in disposable tins, six classes. Prizes are $25, $15 and $10.
- Car show: $25 for a booth or table before July 24, $30 on show day.
- Parade: register through coloradorivervalleychamber.com or call 970-625-2085.
Open Class premiums are paid Sunday, Aug 9, from 7 to 11 a.m.; unclaimed premiums are forfeited.
The Junior Livestock Sale
The sale starts Saturday, August 8 at 1 p.m. at the fairgrounds and is conducted by Loma Livestock Sale Barn. Beef and swine sell by the pound; sheep, goat, poultry and rabbit sell by the head or entry. Payment is due at the end of the sale by check or credit card, with processing fees; cash is not accepted. Buyers may split purchases or use the buyback option, and add-on contributions run from the Monday before the sale through the Wednesday after.
Where and Who to Call
Garfield County Fairgrounds, 1001 Railroad Ave., Rifle, CO 81650. Garfield County CSU Extension Office (livestock sale questions): 970-625-3969.
Official Links
Colorado County Fairs: The Essentials
Colorado county fairs run through local CSU Extension offices, so every county sets its own dates and deadlines. In 2026 they ran from San Miguel's July 10-19 fair through Delta County's August 1-9.
Deadlines
Garfield County required fair entries on FairEntry.com by July 1 at 5:00 pm with no late entries. Delta County's pre-entry forms were due June 26 at 4:30 PM. Market animals are tagged at spring weigh-in.
Rules
Counties often require Meat Quality Assurance training for new exhibitors and set weight ranges. Washington County's market hogs run 220-300 lbs and lambs 100-170 lbs.
The junior sale
Garfield sells only blue and red ribbon animals. Delta requires two buyer invitations per exhibitor and a 5 percent consignment fee. Thank-you notes are expected. Confirm 2027 dates with your Extension office.
More to know
Elbert County's fair ran July 25 to August 2 in Kiowa, and Washington County's fair week began July 20. The Colorado State Fair is in Pueblo. Interview judging for general 4-H projects happens just before fair, and record books are often due soon after.
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- Garfield County 4-H Swine, Sheep and Goat Shows
Swine show August 5 at 8 a.m., sheep show August 6 at 9 a.m. and goat show an hour later at the Rifle fairgrounds, followed by beef showmanship that evening. Dates are from 2026; held each year.
1001 Railroad Ave, Rifle, CO 81650 | Organizer: Garfield County 4-H Official event details - Garfield County Junior Livestock Sale
Closing event of the Garfield County Fair: the 4-H junior livestock sale at 1 p.m. on August 8, 2026, following the week of poultry, rabbit, swine, sheep, goat and beef shows. Held each year.
1001 Railroad Ave, Rifle, CO 81650 | Organizer: Garfield County 4-H Official event details - Colorado Cattlemen's Association Mid-Winter Conference
Winter policy conference of the Colorado Cattlemen's Association at the Denver Marriott West in Golden, set for Dec. 14-15, 2026.
- National Western Stock Show
Sixteen-day stock show and rodeo at the National Western Complex in Denver, with open breed shows, an auction of junior livestock champions, pro rodeos and horse shows. The 2027 dates are posted.
- Colorado State Fair & Rodeo
Eleven-day state fair and rodeo at the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo. Fair organizers have announced Aug. 27 to Sept. 6, 2027; the 2026 fair ran Aug. 28 to Sept. 7.
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.