What to know about the 2023 Colorado State Fair Parade in Pueblo

The iconic parade that kicks off opening weekend of the Colorado State Fair is set for Saturday morning, where tens of thousands of spectators are expected to line the streets of downtown Pueblo to catch the annual procession.

This year, the theme of the parade — which is one of the oldest parades in Colorado — is “Colorado…Mountains of Fun.” It is scheduled to get underway at 10 a.m.

"It’s a kickoff celebration," said Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce President Duane Nava. "It gets people excited about going to the state fair and it’s a great way for some of our community organizations, our candidates that are running for public office and our bands to come and showcase and get themselves out there and let people see them and experience what they have to offer."

Marshals for this year’s event include a legendary Pueblo football coach and a pair of prominent business owners. For those who can’t make it downtown to attend, there will be an opportunity to check out the festivities online and on television.

The parade is presented by Pepsi and is coordinated by the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce and its State Fair Parade Committee.

Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s Colorado State Fair Parade.

How to attend the parade and where to park

The parade route officially begins at B Street and Union Avenue. The cavalcade will head down Union Avenue to City Center Drive, then travel north up Main Street before concluding at Eighth Street.

Popular viewing spots for the parade are on both sides of Union Avenue, as well as both sides of Main Street. A map of the parade route, which includes public parking areas, can be found on the Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.

The parade starts at 10 a.m., with festivities expected to be wrapped up by noon.

What to expect from the parade entries and crowd

There are 109 parade entries this year, from local businesses and political candidates to nonprofits, school marching bands — of which there will be 25 this year — and everything in between.

Event organizers say they’re expecting as many as 40,000 spectators, so those attending might want to arrive early to find parking and ensure a good spot from which to witness the parade.

More on the 2023 Colorado State Fair: The 2023 Colorado State Fair begins Friday. Here's your guide to the Pueblo event

The 2023 Colorado State Fair Parade marshals

This year’s grand marshal is John Wristen, the renowned Colorado State University Pueblo football coach who retired from coaching in December.

Wristen coached at CSU Pueblo for 15 years after the university’s football program returned to the Steel City in 2007. He notably led the team to its first and only Division II national football championship in 2014.

Joining Wristen this year are parade marshals Tom and Anna Marie Giodone of the storied Giodone’s Restaurant.

“We are both so humbled by the community, Colorado State Fair and The Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce for being named the Parade Marshals for the 2023 Colorado State Fair Parade," the couple said in a Greater Pueblo Chamber of Commerce news release. "This makes us so very happy and thrilled to be a part of something so grand."

How to check the parade out if you can’t make it downtown

This year’s parade will be livestreamed with the help of Pueblo Community College.

A live broadcast of the parade can be found on Xfinity Channel 19 and will also be streaming on the PCC Facebook page.

The sponsor of this year’s broadcast is Health Solutions.

To see photos of the 2023 Colorado State Fair Parade, check back at chieftain.com on Saturday afternoon.

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Chieftain editor Zach Hillstrom can be reached at zhillstrom@gannett.com or on Twitter, @ZachHillstrom. Support local news, subscribe to The Pueblo Chieftain at subscribe.chieftain.com.

This article originally appeared on The Pueblo Chieftain: What to know about the 2023 Colorado State Fair Parade in Pueblo