“United We Celebrate” is the theme for the 121st annual El Paso County Fair, which kicked off Saturday at the Calhan fairgrounds.

“We’re having a lot of people coming in dressed for the theme,” said manager Theresa Odello. “The whole El Paso County community really seems to be taking the USA 250/Colorado 150 celebration to heart, and they’re rolling with it.”

The mood was festive and energetic on Sunday as families roamed the fairgrounds, largely unaffected by a high temperature of 88 degrees.

“People who have lived here a long time know how to prepare for the heat,” said County Fair board member Grant Harris, who has been involved with the fair since the 1980s. “And the kids enjoy the fair so much, they don’t care about the heat.”

From the rides, to the games, to the food booths and livestock shows, kids seemed to ricochet around the grounds, trailed by smiling parents.

“Seeing the kids enjoy themselves is the best part,” said Chuck Schwartz, who also attended the Pikes Peak or Bust Parade on Saturday.

“(The fair) is a fun slice of Americana,” said Robin Schwartz, Chuck’s wife. “There’s so much to see here.”

Fair officials hope to draw about 25,000 people over the course of the eight-day celebration and based on Saturday’s numbers, they are off to a good start, Odello said.

“Yesterday we had about 4,300 people,” she said. “So we think we’ll reach our goal, but with the weather, you never know.”

Sunday’s events included a car show, eating contests, a Colorado Pro Rodeo Association-sanctioned rodeo competition and mutton-busting, which is always a fair favorite.

“It’s a really fun event to watch,” Odello said. “It’s a way to get kids interested in rodeo at an early age.”

The El Paso County Fair Queen competition, which includes a series of interviews, speeches and a horsemanship exhibition, concluded on Sunday, with Kadence Baker emerging as the fair queen for 2027.

Fair admission is $8 for adults, $4 for youths ages 3-12 and $6 for seniors (55 and up) except for Monday, which is free for all attendees, and Wednesday, which is “Dollar Day,” Odello said.

The fair’s most popular event is Saturday’s demolition derby, a metal-crunching showdown that continues until there’s only one car left running.

“It’s our biggest event, and it will sell out,” Odello said. “It’s always fun to see cars crash into one another until that can’t go any more. I would advise people to get their tickets early.”