Colorado's oldest fair carries on this week in Boulder County

If you go: The event is at the Boulder County Fairgrounds, 9595 Nelson Road, on the edge of Longmont and runs through Sunday.

Entry is free, and there's plenty to explore.

• Stroll through local art, livestock and ag exhibits.
• Catch live music and bite into classic fair eats.
• Watch the crowd favorites: goat shows, rodeo thrills and the metal-smashing Demo Derby.

What they're saying: Zach Thayer, a fair spokesperson, tells Axios Boulder, "This is 100% the community's fair, and our goal is to make it as enjoyable for all aspects of the community as possible."

Dig in: Food trucks, drink vendors, carnival rides and grandstand shows fill the fairgrounds.

• Thursday's kickoff is a Colorado Pro Rodeo Association event featuring mounted shooting and mutton bustin'.

• Saturday's Demo Derby draws the biggest crowd, and Thayer tells Axios Boulder, tickets are going fast.

What's new: Fan favorites return — including Friday's tractor pull and Sunday's Mexican Rodeo Fiesta.

• Thayer says organizers also ramped up efforts to showcase more local art this year.

What to expect: About 100,000 people pour in over the week, and newcomers quickly feel at home.

• "Just walk around and be open to the experience of the fair," Thayer says. "That is the heart of it all."