Traditionally the Puyallup Fair, or as it is now known the Washington State Fair, is in many ways an iconic part of the year for Northwest residents. By this I mean for many, the arrival of the fair signals the end of summer and the pending arrival of fall as not only have kids return to school, but cooler weather and rain becomes more and more common. Is anybody who’s attended the spacious vendor areas will tell you, fireplaces, saunas, and hot tubs, are amongst the many items available for purchase at fair. I fondly recalled school trips to the fair for the younger students and during my college years, it was common for us to take a half day to attend the great festivities and to take part in the unlimited right bracelets that were offered during the week.
For me the fair is much more than a collection of rides, animals, vendors, and food, it is a Northwest tradition that allows family and friends a fantastic gathering place to relive memories of old and create new ones. The fair attracts upwards of 1.2 million guests a year which makes it one of the largest and most successful in the world. I can tell you after setting up our second office in the Phoenix area, how disappointed I was with tears in the area as for the past 30 years the Puyallup had been my basis for comparison.
As such, we endeavor to make the pilgrimage North to include fair coverage every year since it coincides very well with an annual gaming convention we attend.
More than simply for nostalgic purposes, the fair offers one of the finest and most varied forms of entertainment that you will find anywhere.
My nieces and nephews definitely enjoy seeing the animals as who hasn’t taken a trip to the dairy barn during a visit to the fair? However as they get older the rides become the draw as even when the rain falls, the midway is often packed with thrill seekers have a good time or taking in a game as they attempt to win a prize.
I will admit that for me, rides, concerts, and food or always a big draw, but walking around the fairgrounds was also a thrill as there were plenty of entertainment options and I can honestly say that I always did browse all of the vendor areas even if it was simply out of curiosity as there was always an ample and varied selection of products to browse.
In 2014 the fair is offering a three-day admission press which allows increased access at a reduced price and as always, there are plenty of transportation options available via mass transit. Entertainment wise aside from the rodeo, the fair always has an impressive lineup of top notch concert performers and this year is no exception. Artists such as Chicago, Amy Grant, Keith Urban, Clay Walker, Toby Keith, and many more highlight the impressive concert series. I can tell you some of my fondest memories would be of attending the fair during the week and after a dazzling array of rides and food, taking in a show before hitting the midway for one last run. We would often use weekend visits this time to look around at the numerous other offerings the fair offered as the midway was often packed. This made it a great time to visit with younger children as well is older or more mobility challenged guests. For me it’s impossible to even mention the fair without getting twinges of nostalgia as I can remember back to numerous visits with family and friends as well as taking one of my first dates with my now wife at the fair.
Regardless of your reasons, it is safe to say that the fair will offer countless opportunities for new memories as it just keeps getting better and proving once again why it is not only an absolute treasure of the Northwest, but one of the greatest players in the world.
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