Set to once again be the most popular day at the Colorado State Fair, the colorful pageantry of Fiesta Day returns to Pueblo on Sunday, Sept. 6.
Colorado State Fair Fiesta Committee President Susan Huertas told the Chieftain that the people of Colorado can expect a great day full of vibrant music, captivating entertainment and delicious food at the fair’s annual celebration of Hispanic heritage and culture.
Now in its 59th year, the Colorado State Fair Fiesta Day Parade on Northern Avenue will start at 10 a.m. after an 8 a.m. mariachi mass at Ray Aguilera Park.
Following the parade, a celebration of the Fiesta Court and folklórico dancing will take place on the Pepsi Stage at the fairgrounds. Additional entertainment in the afternoon and evening will be showcased at the American Furniture Warehouse Amphitheater, Big R Arena and PB&T Bank Pavilion.
Banda Machos, known for its technobanda sound and quebradita dancing, will put a bow on the Fiesta Day entertainment lineup on Sunday evening.
“At the Colorado State Fair, we’re getting ready to dance, sing, and experience great food and fabulous culture,” Andrea Wiesenmeyer, general manager of the Colorado State Fair, said in a news release. “We’re embracing the longstanding tradition of the Fair’s Fiesta Day and turning up the fun in 2026!”
Juan and Deborah Mora Espinosa, John Carrero Jr. to lead parade
Fiesta Day Parade Grand Marshals Juan and Deborah Mora Espinosa have contributed to arts, cultural preservation, education, history and journalism for several decades in Pueblo. The two are also active in El Movimiento Sigue and support the Colorado State Fair Fiesta Committee.
Juan was a founding contributor to the newspaper La Cucaracha, worked for the Chieftain, and taught Chicano Studies for 14 years at Centennial High School. He also has an honorary doctorate from the University of Colorado Board of Regents. For 26 years, Deborah directed El Pueblo History Museum and produced “The Song of Pueblo”— a musical history of Pueblo.
John Carrero Jr. is the parade’s honorary marshal. He has been connected to the Fiesta Committee in some form since early childhood. A Fiesta Committee news release said Carrero’s “courage and determination” solidified him as a “fitting choice” for honorary marshal.
“After overcoming early expectations surrounding his cognitive disability, John graduated from high school, built an independent life and remained deeply devoted to his hometown and family,” according to the release. “Since being diagnosed with Common Variable Immune Deficiency in 2017, John has faced significant medical challenges while remaining focused on his wife, Anna, and their children, Amoura and Elias.”
The parade along Northern Avenue begins at the intersection with Evans Avenue and ends on Beulah Avenue. Attendees can expect so see floats that celebrating Hispanic heritage, bands, car clubs, dance groups, horses, political campaigns and schools in the procession, Huertas said.
Vasquez reigns as Fiesta Queen
Anahi Alexis Vasquez is this year’s Fiesta Queen. The Pueblo native is studying nursing at Pueblo Community College this fall and is the founder of Pinky’s Packages — a community outreach program supporting mothers through financial challenges.
“Anahi Alexis Vasquez is driven by a passion for helping others and creating meaningful change within her community,” the Colorado State Fair Fiesta Committee stated in a Facebook post. “Through leadership, innovation, and advocacy, she has dedicated herself to supporting mothers and promoting awareness of maternal health experiences.”
Other members of the Fiesta Court include First Attendant Stephanie Beltran, Second Attendant Vashti Jordan Trujillo and Third Attendant Haylie Nicole Urias Gonzalez. Trujillo was also named Miss Congeniality.
Additional information about Fiesta Day is available at coloradostatefair.com.
Pueblo Chieftain reporter James Bartolo can be reached at JBartolo@gannett.com. Support local news; subscribe to the Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.
This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: What to know about Fiesta Day at the 2026 Colorado State Fair
Reporting by James Bartolo, Pueblo Chieftain / The Pueblo Chieftain
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