Pueblo
Around Pueblo
Photo: PEO ACWA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Metro area · Colorado · 169k people
Pueblo
“Steel City”, “Home of the Slopper”, “Pueblo Chile Capital”
Where the river meets the chile fields.
CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves RedPueblo Chile GreenSteel Mill Rust
Welcome to Pueblo, where the green chile is hot, the riverwalk is cool, and the people are friendly. Whether you're here for the state fair or just passing through, you'll find a city with a proud industrial past and a vibrant community.
Clubs for Pueblo
No clubs for Pueblo yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Pueblo. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Pueblo. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Lake Pueblo State Park Reservoir with boating, fishing, and camping.
- Pueblo Riverwalk Brick-lined riverwalk with shops and eateries.
- Pueblo Zoo Family-friendly zoo with a historic carousel.
- Steelworks Museum History of Pueblo's steel industry.
- Sangre de Cristo Arts Center Theater, galleries, and classes.
- El Pueblo History Museum City history and the original trading post.
- Outdoors Boating and sailing on Lake Pueblo
- Outdoors Hiking trails at Lake Pueblo State Park
- With kids Visit the Pueblo Zoo
- With kids Explore the Buell Children's Museum
- Evenings Craft breweries downtown
- Evenings Live music at the Sangre de Cristo Arts Center
- Locals love Green chile stands
- Locals love Riverwalk patios
Through the year
- Colorado State Fair August-September The state's largest fair with livestock, concerts, and carnival rides.
- Pueblo Chile and Frijoles Festival September Celebrates the local green chile harvest with food, music, and a parade.
- Pueblo Riverwalk Summer Concert Series June-August Free outdoor concerts along the riverwalk on summer evenings.
- Pueblo Twilight Criterium July A fast-paced bicycle race through downtown streets.
- Pueblo County Fair Summer A traditional county fair with 4-H exhibits, rodeo, and demolition derby.
Pueblo has a semi-arid climate with hot summers, cold winters, and plenty of sunshine year-round. Best: Spring and fall are the most comfortable times to be out.
Getaways
- Cañon City Royal Gorge Bridge and whitewater rafting.
- Colorado Springs Garden of the Gods, Pikes Peak, and Olympic training center.
- Alamosa Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve.
- Denver Museums, sports, and urban nightlife.
Local flavour
Teams
- CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves NCAA Division II
- Pueblo Bulls NAHL
- Pueblo FC NPSL
Also rooting for Denver Broncos (NFL), Denver Rockies (MLB), Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Avalanche (NHL)
Eat and drink
- Pueblo Green Chile Thick, roasted, often spicy green chile made from Pueblo chiles; a staple on everything.
- Slopper A hamburger patty smothered in green chile, typically served open-faced on a bun.
- Sopapillas Fried pastries served with honey, a classic dessert in local Mexican restaurants.
- Chile Rellenos Pueblo-style rellenos made with the local chiles, often smothered in more green chile.
Where people go
- Chile farms and roadside stands The Arkansas Valley is dotted with farms selling fresh Pueblo chiles, especially in late summer.
- Arkansas Riverwalk A scenic downtown riverwalk with historic bridges, restaurants, and a relaxed pace.
- Historic steel mill sites Remnants of the CF&I steel industry, including old structures and the Minnequa neighborhood.
- Adobe mission-style architecture
Heritage and traditions
Pueblo is proud of its blue-collar steel town roots, its famous green chile, and the blend of Hispanic, Italian, and Western heritage that gives the city a unique flavor.
This time of year in Pueblo
- Chile roasting Fall Fall tradition of roasting green chiles at roadside stands.
- Melon harvest Fall Rocky Ford melons are at their peak in September.
Say it like a local: “Chile” — The local green chile, pronounced 'chee-lay'.
Festivals
- Rocky Ford Melon Festival September Celebrates the famous cantaloupes with food, music, and a parade.
- Arkansas Valley Fair August A traditional county fair in Rocky Ford with livestock and carnival.
- Bent's Fort Rendezvous June A living history reenactment at Bent's Old Fort with traders and mountain men.
- Pueblo Italian Festival August Celebrates the Italian immigrant community with food, music, and processions.
- Cinco de Mayo May A community celebration with music, dance, and food in the historic district.
- Koshare Indian Museum Winter Night Dance December Traditional Native American dances and storytelling.
Landmarks with a story
- Cathedral of the Sacred Heart A historic Catholic cathedral in Pueblo with stunning architecture.
- Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site A reconstructed 1840s trading post on the Santa Fe Trail.
- Koshare Indian Museum A museum in La Junta with an extensive collection of Native American art and artifacts.
- Rosemount Museum A Victorian mansion in Pueblo showcasing the city's wealthy past.
- Union Avenue Historic District A stretch of historic buildings along the Riverwalk, including the Union Depot.
- Pueblo County Courthouse A historic courthouse with a distinctive clock tower.
Food traditions
- Pueblo green chile A specific pepper with a smoky, spicy flavor, used in everything from stews to burgers.
- Slopper A hamburger smothered in green chile, a local invention that requires a fork.
- Rocky Ford cantaloupes Sweet melons grown in the Arkansas Valley, a summer delicacy.
- Chile roasting A fall tradition where green chiles are roasted over open flames at roadside stands.
- Sopapillas Fried pastries served with honey, a staple at local Mexican restaurants.
Music and arts
- Sangre de Cristo Arts Center A hub for visual and performing arts in Pueblo.
- Koshare Indian dancers Traditional dances performed at the Koshare Indian Museum.
- Pueblo Symphony A community orchestra performing classical and pops concerts.
- Tejano and country music scene Local bands blend Mexican and Western influences.
A little history
- 1833 Bent's Fort established as a major trading post on the Santa Fe Trail.
- 1842 Pueblo founded as a trading post at the confluence of the Arkansas and Fountain Creek.
- 1872 The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad arrives, connecting Pueblo to the rest of the state.
- 1881 The Colorado Fuel and Iron Company opens its steel mill, making Pueblo an industrial hub.
- 1921 The Great Flood of Pueblo devastates the city, leading to major flood control efforts.
Rivalries
- Pueblo Central vs. Pueblo East high school football A fierce crosstown rivalry that fills the stands.
- CSU Pueblo vs. Colorado Mesa football A competitive college rivalry in the RMAC.
- Pueblo vs. Cañon City for the best green chile Friendly bragging rights over who grows the hottest chile.
- Game day Friday night high school football
- Game day CSU Pueblo ThunderWolves football
- Outdoors Fishing the Arkansas River
- Outdoors Boating on Lake Pueblo
- With kids Pueblo Zoo
- With kids Buell Children's Museum
People in Pueblo speak with a Western accent, but with a strong Spanish influence, often mixing Spanish words like 'chile' and 'sopapilla' into English. The pronunciation of 'Pueblo' is 'PWEB-lo'.
Only here
- The slopper is a dish invented in Pueblo.
- The Pueblo chile is a specific variety of green chile with a unique flavor.
- The Arkansas Riverwalk is a mile-long urban waterway with shops and restaurants.
- The Koshare Indian Museum is one of the most extensive collections of Native American art in the country.
New here? A few tips
- Pronounce 'Pueblo' as 'PWEB-lo'.
- Try a slopper – a burger smothered in green chile.
- Be prepared for hot summers and cold winters.
- Visit the Riverwalk for dining and events.
- Learn about the city's steel history at the Steelworks Museum.
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Part of Pueblo area
Nearby
Every areaCañon CityColoradoWhere the river carves the canyonColorado SpringsColoradoWhere the mountains meet the plains and adventure is a way of life.Lower Arkansas ValleyColoradoWhere the river meets the plainsTrinidad–WalsenburgColoradoWhere the prairies rise to meet the Spanish Peaks.Salida–Buena VistaColoradoRiver town heart, mountain soulAlamosaColoradoHigh desert heart, wide open skies.DenverColoradoA mile high, full of sunshine, mountains, and craft beer.BreckenridgeColoradoWhere the peaks touch the sky and the town feels like home.
Pueblo, CO. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.