THE San Luis Valley Fair – showing off the best of the 4-H world – has made a couple of adjustments in its 122nd year to make it more convenient for families to attend the exhibitions and shows.
The SLV Fair opens Saturday, Aug. 5, and runs through Aug. 12 at the Ski Hi Events Center in Monte Vista. This year, organizers have set the schedule for evening market shows to help families attend. There’s also an emphasis to get fairgoers to review the many indoor project exhibits.
“It’s a big week. Kids do a lot of events,” SLV Fair board member Jason Tillman said during a recording of The Valley Pod.
“We talk a lot about market shows and the animals but there’s also the indoor projects that the kids are putting out,” Tillman said. “They do a good job on the indoor stuff, all the way from welding to making clothes to baking cakes. So it’s a good chance to get to come out and see what those kids who don’t always show the animals, what they’ve done also.”
Listen here to the full SLV Fair conversation with Jason Tillman.
The 2023 SLV Fair Book is here.
The fair opens with a dairy goat show and Mike Kelly Memorial show on Saturday and the annual dog show on Sunday, among other weekend events. The SLV Fair picks up the following week with a full schedule, including evening market shows.
“Every show will run in the evenings this year as far as our market shows,” Tillman said. “This gives a chance for people not to have to take off work early to come watch shows.
“They get to come out in the evenings. We’re hoping to get more involvement from the community by doing this.”