Every July the drive down to Cripple Creek fills with horse trailers and the rumble of motocross bikes — the tell that the Teller County Fair is back, July 24 through August 2, 2026, at the fairgrounds on County Road 1. Ten days of small-town Americana, with a 250th-birthday theme ("Celebrating 250 Years of American Grit") this year. It's cheap, genuinely local, and easy to fit into a mountain weekend. Here's how to pick your day.
The loud, dusty, grandstand days
- Sat, July 25 — Kickoff & Military Appreciation Night. Motocross at 9 AM, equipment rodeo at 2 PM, then live music and fireworks at 9:15. Military with ID eat free.
- Sun, July 26 — Tough Truck. Trucks, an obstacle course, and a lot of airborne suspension. Green flag at 1 PM.
- Sat, Aug 1 — Demolition Derby. The marquee event, 2 PM (Family Day and the Little Rascals Pee-Wee Show open the morning at 9). Come early for a seat.
- Sun, Aug 2 — Bull Riding & Barrel Racing. The fair goes out on a rodeo. Mutton bustin' at 12:30, main event at 2 PM.
Admission is refreshingly old-school: $15 adults, $5 for kids 5–12, under 5 free. Rain or shine, no refunds.
Local tip: The fairgrounds sit above 9,000 feet and the derby and rodeo run in the afternoon heat before the clouds roll in. Bring a hat, sunscreen, a rain shell, and cash — the gate and smaller vendors don't always take cards. Afternoon thunderstorms roll through most summer days up here, so that rain shell earns its keep.
The quieter, bring-the-kids days
Midweek is where the fair shows its real personality:
- Wed, July 29 — Senior Day at noon (lunch, talent show, fashion review), plus the 4-H horse show all morning.
- Thu, July 30 — dog show, rabbit and poultry, and the beef show through the day.
- Fri, July 31 — Buyers Dinner & Livestock Auction, where the community bids up the animals these kids raised all year. The emotional heart of the fair, and it ends with a dance.
Any of these days, the exhibit halls are full of quilts, canning, and open-class entries — exactly why a county fair exists. Check the official 2026 schedule for final times before you drive up.
Where to stay
Cripple Creek has limited lodging, and fair week is one of summer's busiest stretches. Our cabins put you close without putting you in the crowd. From our Florissant cabins you're about 20–25 minutes away — the Surrey Mountain Retreat (sleeps 12) and Highland House (sleeps 11) are built for the bring-the-cousins crowd, and our newest cabin, the Lion House, sits right beside them — book two or three together and the whole reunion stays on one road. The Kingston Stargazing Cabin adds dark skies to cap off a loud fair day. Closer to Woodland Park, our Coyote A-Frame and Spruce Cabin sit about 40 minutes out — handy if you're stretching into the Mountain Arts Festival (Aug 8–9) too.
Planning a late-July Colorado trip?
Fair week and the surrounding weekends fill up fast in the high country. Reserve one of our six cabins direct and save up to 15% vs Airbnb — same cabins, same hosts, no platform fees.
Browse Our Cabins →Fair photos courtesy of the Teller County Fair, used with permission.