The 2025 La Plata County Fair is set to kick off today, with a range of new activities and events set to accompany all the classic favorites.
This year’s fair will run today through Sunday at the La Plata County Fairgrounds, 2500 Main Ave., with the Demolition Derby set to charge into Ignacio on Aug. 16.
This year’s theme, submitted by Angela Fountain, La Plata County 4-H youth development agent, and chosen by the La Plata County Board of County Commissioners, is “Growing from Generation to Generation.”
According to commissioners, the theme is intended to celebrate the roots of the community’s past while also keeping an eye to the future, honoring the local generations that have raised and nurtured families, cared for the land and shaped the county throughout its history.
There’s much to celebrate about the generational traditions and valuable contributions the fair has seen since its conception in 1948.
The Cundiff family, longtime fair participants and 4-H’ers, exemplify the generational values this year’s theme wants to uphold.
The Cundiff family has roots in Durango reaching back to 1886, and has been involved with the fair practically since its conception.
Mollie and Trevor Cundiff’s six children, five of whom are participating in the fair this year, have ties to the fair going back to great-great-grandparents.
The children’s paternal great-grandfather, Henry Cundiff, 90, took part in the fair in his day by showing Hereford bulls, acting as an Allison Go-Getters 4-H leader, and winning numerous awards and ribbons. The children’s paternal great-grandmother, Catherine Cundiff, also participated in the fair as far back as the 1950s, and Jewel Westbrook, Mollie Cundiff’s great-grandmother, entered canned goods in the fair in its early days.
Henry and Catherine Cundiff’s son, Monty Cundiff, took part in the fair as a child, showing steers, sheep and bulls, and winning first place in woodworking in 1978. Monty then passed on that legacy to son Trevor and his siblings, who have participated in the fair since the 1990s, winning awards for events from singing to cattle showing.
The legacy has since been passed on once more to Trevor Cundiff’s sibling’s children, and Trevor and Mollie Cundiff’s kids: Orren, 13, Cole, 11, Rebekah, 10, Rose, 8, and Elgin, 6. The Cundiffs’ youngest, 11-month-old Mauddie, will be visiting the fair to cheer on her siblings.
This year, Orren Cundiff will show a breeding heifer and a market steer; Cole Cundiff will show a market heifer, a market goat and a show goat; Rebekah Cundiff will enter a market goat and run for fair royalty; and Rose and Elgin Cundiff will contribute handmade art.
Mollie Cundiff’s side of the family also touts a long history with the fair, extending down from Mollie’s great-grandmother, Jewel Westbrook. Jewel Westbrook’s son, Alden Westbrook, was a grand champion crocheter in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Alden Westbrook’s wife, Marquleta Westbrook, was a champion fair quilter during that same period. Elgin Strohecker, a relative on Mollie Cundiff’s side of the family, who little Elgin Cundiff is named after, volunteered at the fair every year during the 1970s, helping run exhibits and fair activities.
Numerous other relatives on both Trevor and Mollie Cundiff’s sides of the family have participated in the fair over time, making the event, and this time of year, especially important to the Cundiffs.
“The fair is always very much a family effort,” Mollie Cundiff said.
Henry Cundiff has passed down numerous items, such as show halters, to his great-grandchildren, and his son, Monty, still assists his grandchildren in preparing for the fair every year – including providing steers from his herd for the children to raise and show.
This year, Orren Cundiff’s steer is from his grandpa's herd, and Cole Cundiff’s steer is from his parent’s herd.
“Grandpa Monty is really, really knowledgeable, and really good at helping the boys. And my husband (Trevor) has done a lot to show them the right way to show animals,” said Mollie Cundiff. “Everybody helps out. We help our niece and nephew. They help us. You know, everyone’s always just trying to help each other.”
This year’s theme, given the Cundiffs’ long family history with the fair, means a lot to Mollie Cundiff.
“I love that it’s being encouraged to look back and be like, ‘oh, wow – what Grandpa did is really important. Grandpa set me up good, set me up to start something that's really great,” she said. “I think it’s really important for our children to understand that, and to look back and to say ‘thank you’ to the people who have worked hard in the past to give them the opportunities they have now.”
The fair will feature several special attractions this year, including the Talent Contest on Thursday, the Firefall & Orleans concert on Friday, the Fair Family Dance on Saturday, and the Demolition Derby on Aug. 16 at the Sky Ute Fairgrounds in Ignacio.
The Firefall & Orleans concert will be held at the rodeo arena, with advance general admission selling for $30, reserved seating at $45 and VIP seating at $65. The Fair Family Dance, taking place on the patio, will be $5 at the door to benefit La Plata County 4-H, and will feature Wild Country live. Demolition Derby tickets will cost $15 both at the gate and presale and can be purchased at a variety of locations, including Durango Automotive Repair, Handlebar Motorsports, Fender Menders, Luck 7 Feed Store in Ignacio, and Casa Hermosa Furniture in Farmington.
Fountain said she’s most excited for the return of the Bunny Barn at full capacity, which saw declining population in the past few years because of a rabbit virus that has since been managed. She is also anticipating the 4-H livestock auction, and this year’s inaugural Youth Carnival, which will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday at the baseball field.
Fountain said many families in 4-H – like the Cundiffs – span generations of valuable and memorable fair participation – right in line with the theme she dreamed up for this year’s event.
“We have quite a few families here that have parents, grandparents, that were in La Plata county 4-H, and maybe even older than that,” she said. “Parents who grew up in 4-H see the value of everything that they got from (the program), so they want to make sure and give that value to their kids as well. It is so much more than just raising animals – these kids literally are becoming the best versions of themselves, through generations.”
Fair Royalty is one tradition among many that the community has held dear for over seven decades.
This year’s Fair Royalty includes Bayfield High School student Baylee Capalbo as Fair Queen; Gracyn Archuleta of Igancio Hope Community Christian Academy as Fair Princess; Mykah Meshew of Bayfield High School as Princess Attendant; and Catalina Capalbo of Bayfield Middle School as Lady in Waiting.
For Amy Peterson, director of the fair for the past 15 years, the event marks an opportunity for the whole community – both those who live in town and those coming from rural areas of the county – to get together and celebrate their hard work and talent.
“It’s the one time of the year when the community can actually get together – and I mean the whole community, not just little individual parts of the community,” she said. “They can go and watch the kids and their animals, and their hard-earned projects, from sewing, to quilts, to baked goods, to shooting sports. It’s an exciting time.”
According to the La Plata County Board of County Commissioners, “The La Plata County Fair is more than an event – it’s a reflection of our shared history, the growth of our community and the joy of passing down traditions to the next generation.”
epond@durangoherald.com
For the complete schedule and more information, visit https://laplatacountyfair.com.
- All day: Animal entries (Livestock Barns).
- 4 p.m.: All Classes 4-H Sheep Show, Judging Open Class Sheep Show (Livestock Pavilion).
- Following Sheep Show: Swine Showmanship (Livestock Pavilion).
- 6:30 p.m.: True West Roundup (Rodeo Arena, $10 adults/$5 kids).
- 7 p.m.: Livestock Sale Verification Cards Due (Fair Office).
- Beer Garden open.
- 8:30 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA Breeding and Market Swine (Livestock Pavilion).
- Following 4-H/FFA: Open Class Swine, all classes (Livestock Pavilion).
- 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.: Exhibits Open to the Public (Exhibit Hall).
- 9 a.m.: Judging Open Class Home Economics, Horticulture, Floriculture, Creative Arts (Exhibit Hall).
- 9 a.m.: 4-H Poultry Judging followed by Open Class (Small Animal Barn).
- 1 p.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA Goat Show (all classes) (Livestock Pavilion).
- Following 4-H/FFA: Open Class Goat Show and Alpaca Demonstration (Livestock Pavilion).
- 4 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Animal Fashion Show (Patio).
- 5 p.m.: Fair Royalty Speeches & Modeling (Patio).
- 7 p.m.: Talent Contest (Patio).
- 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.: Exhibits Open to the Public (Exhibit Hall).
- 9 a.m.: Judging 4-H/FFA Rabbits (Small Animal Barn).
- 10 a.m.: 4-H/FFA Breeding Beef & Beef Showmanship (Livestock Pavilion).
- 1 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Market Beef; Grand & Reserve Champions (Livestock Pavilion).
- 2 p.m.: All Classes Dairy Cattle (Livestock Pavilion).
- 3:15 p.m.: Pee Wee Showmanship (Livestock Pavilion).
- 4 p.m.: 4-H/FFA Livestock Round Robin (Livestock Pavilion).
- 6 p.m.: Firefall & Orleans Concert (Rodeo Arena. Advance general admission $30, reserved seating $45, and VIP seating $65).
- 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.: Exhibits Open to Public (Exhibit Hall).
- 9 a.m.: 4-H Dog Show (Exhibit Hall).
- 9 a.m.: Judging Open Class Beef, all classes (Livestock Pavilion).
- 10 a.m.: Rooster Crowing Contest (Small Animal Barn).
- 10 a.m.: FFA Showmanship (Livestock Pavilion).
- 11 a.m.: No Limits Livestock Show (Livestock Pavilion).
- 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.: Saturday at the Fair Youth Carnival (Durango Baseball Field).
- 2 p.m.: Rabbit Costume Contest (Small Animal Barn).
- 5 p.m.: Silver Awards Presentation (Patio).
- 5:45 p.m.: Fair Royalty Crowning (Patio).
- 6 p.m.: Junior Livestock Sale (Livestock Pavilion).
- 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.: Fair Family Dance (Patio. $5 per person at the door to benefit La Plata County 4-H).
- 8 a.m.: Cowboy Church (Pavilion).
- 8 a.m.: Carcass Animals Loaded (Livestock Barns).
- 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Exhibits Open to Public (Exhibit Hall).
- 11 a.m.: 4-H/FFA Catch-It Contest (Livestock Pavilion).
- 1 to 2 p.m.: Payment of Premiums (Fair Office).
- 1 to 2 p.m.: Exhibits Released (Exhibit Hall).
- 1 to 4 p.m.: Booths Taken Down (Exhibit Hall).
- 1 to 2 p.m.: Poultry & Rabbits Released (Small Animal Barn).
- 1 p.m.: Animals Released (Livestock Barns).
- 4 p.m.: Demolition Derby (gates open at 2 p.m.), Sky Ute Fairgrounds, Ignacio. $15).
The Durango Herald was given incorrect information regarding ticket locations and prices for the Demolition Derby and the Saturday at the Fair Youth Carnival. This article has been corrected to reflect accurate details.
