The Chaffee County Fair, in one form or another, has been around since 1893.
The first Fair Association was organized that year after an article in the Salida Mail proposed that the county have a fair because it possessed some excellent stock, fine agricultural land and a great variety of minerals.
In a 1988 interview, the late Dr. Wendell Hutchinson, a local veterinarian noted that his family had participated in fairs since the city of Salida bought the “city grounds” from his great grandmother which is located on the south side of what is now U.S. Highway 50 between Salida and Poncha Springs. A grandstand was set up with a race track, for horses, along with an area in the center for bucking horses. Another agricultural event was the Buena Vista Lettuce Days which happened around Labor Day. Chaffee County, at that time, was known for its excellent head lettuce. A steer was furnished for a barbecue and farmers provided their best lettuce for the salad.
In 1916 business houses in the county were closed from 1 to 5 p.m. on a Friday so everyone could attend the fair.
In the 1940s the Community Hall Organization purchased the building on CR 160 that had been the county poor farm, where indigent county residents could live and help with the agricultural and other work. A fair event was held there with demonstrations of clothing projects, food and livestock and a band providing entertainment.
As time passed, the fair became largely a 4H event with some involvement by Home Extension groups and was held at the county road shop on CR 140. Over time, interest dwindled until 1988 when the fair was revived as the “New Old Fashioned Chaffee County Fair” which is still held at the current fairgrounds on CR 120. That fairgrounds was established in 1981 and has seen numerous improvements over the years, including a new grandstand built in 2018.. This year’s fair is set for July 26 to August 3.
Arlene E. Shovald Ph.D
