Monster Truck Show Near Me: What to Expect at the Colorado State Fair
If you’ve been searching for a monster truck show near me and you’re anywhere within driving distance of Pueblo, the Colorado State Fair is the answer most locals land on. Two events anchor the automotive side of the fair: the Toughest Monster Truck Tour and the Demolition Derby. Both happen on the same weekend, both run on dirt, and both deliver the kind of noise you feel in your chest before you hear it in your ears.
Practical verdict: if you have kids under 10 and want the cleaner, more family-friendly spectacle, go with the Saturday afternoon monster truck show. If you came for chaos and don’t mind staying late, the Demolition Derby on Saturday night is the better ticket. Buying both is reasonable only if you actually like motorsport — back-to-back events on a hot dirt track are a long day.
Why this weekend draws people from across the state
The fair runs in Pueblo at the end of summer, and the motorsport block is one of the few times you can see a national monster truck tour without driving to Denver or out of state. That matters for anyone in southern Colorado, northern New Mexico, or the western Kansas border — Pueblo is genuinely the closest option. For people typing “truck shows near me” into a search bar in early September, the Colorado State Fair is usually the top organic result for a reason: it’s the largest live automotive event in the region during fair season.
The other reason it draws crowds is the format. A lot of monster truck stops are single shows. Here you get a full Friday-night session, a Saturday matinee, and then the Demolition Derby on Saturday night — three different experiences on one ticket grounds, with the rest of the fair (food, midway, concerts) running around it.
Toughest Monster Truck Tour: Friday night and Saturday afternoon
The Toughest Monster Truck Tour runs two shows. Friday gates open at 7 p.m. with the show starting at 8 p.m. Saturday is the daytime option — gates at noon, show at 1 p.m. Same trucks, same drivers, two very different atmospheres.
The Friday night version is louder in feel because the floodlights, the fireworks built into some of the freestyle runs, and the cooler evening air do something to the sound. Trucks look bigger under stadium lighting. The trade-off is that small kids tend to get tired and overstimulated by the second half, and the lot empties out slowly afterward.
The Saturday afternoon show is the one to pick for families. Daylight makes it easier to follow what’s happening on the track, the crowd skews younger, and you can leave when you want without walking through a dark parking lot. The downside is heat — early September in Pueblo can sit in the high 80s, and the grandstand seats catch direct sun. Bring water and something for your head.
What actually happens during the show
A standard Toughest tour stop runs about two hours and includes three main segments. Racing comes first — trucks run head-to-head on a short course with jumps, usually in a bracket that knocks down to a winner. Then there’s a wheelie or stunt competition, judged on height, control, and how close drivers come to rolling the truck without actually doing it. Freestyle closes the show: each driver gets roughly 90 seconds to do whatever they want on the course, and this is where the trucks usually break.
If you’ve never been, the freestyle is the part to watch closely. That’s where the real difference between drivers shows up, and it’s where most of the photos worth taking happen.
Demolition Derby: Saturday night
The Demolition Derby fires up Saturday evening at 7 p.m., once the monster trucks have packed out. It’s a different animal. Where the monster truck tour is choreographed spectacle, the derby is closer to organized chaos — twenty or so drivers in reinforced cars, last one moving wins the heat.
A few things to know before you go. The dirt gets churned into mud by mid-event because the track gets watered down to control dust, so anything you wear will get spattered if you’re in the front rows. The smell of burning oil, radiator coolant, and gasoline sits in the air for the entire show — some people love it, some find it overwhelming. And it runs longer than people expect: heats, consolation rounds, and the main event together can stretch close to three hours.
For anyone searching “derby near me” specifically, this one is worth the drive. Demolition derbies are getting harder to find in their traditional full-size car format because of how expensive donor vehicles have become. The Colorado State Fair derby has held its scale.
Ticket prices and what they actually get you
Here’s the breakdown for the monster truck and derby events. Prices were accurate at the most recent fair cycle, but always confirm on the official fair page before driving in — promoters adjust pricing year over year.
| Event | Adult | Kids 5–11 | Under 4 |
| Toughest Monster Truck Tour | $27 | $23 | Free |
| Demolition Derby | $32 | $25 | Check at gate |
Two things worth flagging. Event tickets are separate from general fair admission in most years, so budget for both. And the “free under 4” policy for the monster truck show is genuinely useful for parents — most comparable events charge from age 2 or 3.
Where to sit
Grandstand seating is general admission inside each section. The sweet spot for the monster truck show is roughly center-track, about ten to fifteen rows up. High enough to see the full course, low enough to feel the engines. For the derby, sit higher than you think you should. The lower rows take dirt and the occasional piece of car.
What to bring and what to leave at home
Ear protection is the one thing most first-time visitors skip and regret. Monster truck engines run in the 100–110 decibel range at idle and louder during runs. Foam earplugs work fine for adults; over-ear muffs are better for kids and worth bringing even if you think your child won’t tolerate them.
A short packing list that covers most situations:
- Earplugs or earmuffs, especially for anyone under 12
- Sunscreen and a hat for the Saturday afternoon show
- A light jacket or hoodie for Friday night — Pueblo cools off fast after sundown
- Cash for concessions; lines for card payment get long
- A bandana or buff for the derby, useful when the dust kicks up
Leave large bags at home or in the car. Bag checks at the gate slow you down and the policy tightens year to year.
Choosing between the events if you can only pick one
This is the question most people actually need answered, and the honest take depends on who you are.
Pick the monster truck show if you’re bringing kids, want a clear narrative (racing, stunts, freestyle), or care about getting good photos. The trucks are the spectacle; the format is structured; the energy is high but family-paced.
Pick the Demolition Derby if you’re a motorsport fan, you like unpredictable events, or you’ve seen monster truck tours before and want something different. The derby is rougher around the edges in a good way — it’s a county-fair tradition, not a corporate tour, and that comes through in how it runs.
Pick both only if you’ve got a full Saturday, decent shade, and the budget for two separate tickets plus food in between. It’s a great day if you’re prepared and a long, hot, expensive day if you’re not.
Before you go
Confirm dates and times on the Colorado State Fair official page closer to your visit — the events have shifted by a day in some years depending on how Labor Day falls. Parking fills early on Saturday, so plan to arrive at least 45 minutes before the gate time you’re aiming for. And if Pueblo is more than two hours from you, booking a room the night before for the Saturday double-header is the difference between an enjoyable day and a grim drive home at midnight.
