Salida Daily Digest Friday, July 31, 2026
Ty's Take
The fair's coming up Friday with the junior livestock auction, and that's worth paying attention to if you've got kids in 4-H or FFA around here. Those kids put months into raising animals, learning responsibility the hard way, and when they walk those calves and pigs across that ring, you're watching something that still matters in Chaffee County. The horses, the ribbons, the whole day with DJ Deano spinning records afterward, it's small-town summer doing what it's supposed to do. Meanwhile, Duck Inn Park just got renamed for Donna Rhoads, who spent decades keeping our trails open and walkable, which tells you something about what sticks around in a place like this. Between the fair, the senior expo happening same week, and a classical guitarist coming through, Friday and next week look like they're designed to remind people that community isn't something you buy on the Front Range.
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Ark Valley Voice
Help AVV Meet Its Match Challenge
Ark Valley Voice directors have challenged readers to raise just $975 more to unlock a $2,600 matching gift from the board. The publication has collected $9,435 toward a $10,410 goal in this week's fundraising appeal.
Chaffee County Fair Friday Features Junior Livestock Auction, Awards, Finish with DJ Deano Maes
The Chaffee County Fair wraps up Sunday, August 2, with Friday's highlight being the Junior Market Livestock Sale where Logan Scanga's Grand Champion Steer set a new record at $17,000. The fair concludes with awards and a DJ performance.
BV Trustees Approve Intergovernmental Agreement with CDOT for Future Park-N-Ride
On July 28, Buena Vista trustees approved an intergovernmental agreement with the Colorado Department of Transportation to move forward with planning a Park-N-Ride facility. The agreement carries no current budget impact as the project was first proposed by CDOT in 2020.
Salida Library Hosts Flash Book Sale August 8
The Salida Library will host a Flash Book Sale on Saturday, August 8 from 9 a.m. to noon at 405 E Street, offering nonfiction, history, biographies, memoirs, and large print books. The three-hour event provides a cool respite for local book lovers.
Mountain West UAS Annual Picnic Set for August 8
Mountain West UAS invites the public to its annual picnic on Saturday, August 8 at 10 a.m. in the BV Drone Training Park, welcoming drone enthusiasts of all skill levels at no charge. The free event is open to everyone interested in unmanned aerial systems.
Chaffee County Fair 2026: CPRA Rodeo Results Now Available, Newcomers Comment
The Chaffee County Fair opened with two nights of Colorado Pro Rodeo Association rodeo action, drawing spectators despite cloudy skies on Friday, July 24. Youth events including steer riding and mutton bustin' kicked off the fair's opening night.
Duck Inn Park Dedication Honors Donna Rhoads’ Decades of Service to Salida Trails
Salida dedicated Duck Inn Park on July 29, honoring longtime trails advocate Donna Rhoads for nearly four decades of work developing and maintaining the city's parks and trail system. The community gathered to celebrate both the new pocket park and Rhoads' decades of service.
Several upcoming local events will help residents connect with resources and discuss aging issues, including a community conversation on senior support, a quarterly Death Café, and an Embracing Aging Expo. These programs aim to support people at all stages of life.
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The Mountain Mail
Public Health Community Health Assessment Survey is now live
Chaffee County Public Health launched its Community Health Assessment Survey on July 27, available online and in paper form through October 2 at offices in Salida and Buena Vista. The brief six-to-eight-minute survey in English and Spanish will inform the department's five-year health improvement...
Classical guitarist Hao Yang to perform Aug. 1
Acclaimed classical guitarist Hao Yang will perform at the Salida High School auditorium on August 1 at 7 p.m. as part of the Salida Aspen Concerts 50th anniversary season. Doors open at 5:45 p.m. for a pre-concert talk, with tickets at $30 and free admission for K-12 students.
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