Arapahoe County moves to raise fair gate price to $30, will replace Pours on the Plains activation

Open Spaces staff on Wednesday told the Arapahoe County Board of Commissioners that the county fair is operating in the red and recommended a package of changes for 2026 that includes a modest ticket-price increase and a replacement for the county’s Pours on the Plains activation.

Jenny Pincheno, director of Open Spaces, told the board: "The fair is running in the red, and we have got to find ways to fix that so we can either shrink the red or address it in its entirety." Staff presented a projected shortfall of about $83,000 for the 2025 fair and said a $5 increase to a $30 gate price would pull in roughly $12,627 per dollar raised (in their model) and would help reduce the deficit while preserving affordability.

Nut graf: The staff presentation proposed three linked recommendations for 2026: (1) adjust the gate model and ticket pricing (staff proposed raising the single‑ticket gate price from $25 to $30), (2) keep the number of fair days and hours unchanged because changes were judged too risky for attendance and revenue, and (3) discontinue Pours on the Plains and let staff design a new activation for that space (examples discussed included indoor cooling space or paid activations such as a roller rink).

Key details: Presenters explained that the fair’s event revenue fund supports staffing, event rentals and some CIP projects; recent expenses—such as office remodels and HVAC needs—plus inflation have pushed costs upward while ticket prices have lagged. Vendor fee tiers were reviewed (ranging from small nonprofit rates to roughly $1,000 for prominent food vendors) and staff said the carnival contract includes unlimited‑wristband rides under the current all‑inclusive gate model.

Commissioner reaction: Commissioners expressed concern about affordability for families. "It's kind of obvious that we should probably increase the ticket price," one commissioner said, while another cautioned that increased costs can quickly add up for families. Commissioner Fields said she could not envision the fair without the beer activation: "I just can't see a fair without beer." Several commissioners asked staff to pursue added external outreach and marketing, and to explore offsets such as VIP parking or future family discounts.

Decision and next steps: Staff reported they received informal support (four commissioners' thumbs‑up) for the package as presented and asked for a "green light" to proceed with implementation planning. Commissioners directed staff to proceed with the recommended $30 gate price, keep days/hours unchanged for 2026, and work to design a replacement activation for the Pours on the Plains footprint; formal ordinance or budget actions were not recorded in the study session. Staff will return to the board with implementation details and any required formal agenda items.