We woke up on a semi-cloudy day and I convinced Dear that it would be a good day to “Do The Puyallup”. It was Thursday September 8th and we were hoping the crowds would be light at the fairgrounds.

We stopped at our local Safeway to buy our Senior discounted tickets for $7.50 each and hit the highway south to the town of Puyallup, pronounced, (pew-Al-up). We parked for $10.00 across the street from the Blue Entrance.

The Washington State Fair, commonly referred to as the Puyallup Fair, is the largest single attraction held annually in the state of Washington. The fair continually ranks in the top ten largest fairs in the United States.

The crowds were very light on this morning which we appreciated. There are several things you might notice at our state fair and fairs in general.

There are lots of temporary fences or barriers to herd people in the right direction or keep them safe. Turkey Legs are a popular feature at the fair.

There are many food options and several non-fried options. I wonder what the difference is between Carmel Apples and Caramel Apples?

This fried option was tempting but we didn’t give in. There were several Elephant Ear stands all around the grounds.

We chose the barbecue option for our lunch at the fair. There were many barbecue options. We also indulged in a fair scone.

Besides the world’s largest Outlaw Grill we happened upon the grower of the world’s largest pumpkin (1st Prize) taking a photo with the men in blue from Pierce County Sheriffs Department. I think the officer on his knee next to the grower might be her son but I didn’t ask. They resemble each other and they are holding hands and look at the sunglasses.

I found the Grange displays to be very interesting. “Stop by to view this unique display of agricultural art. Showcasing a unique blend of creativity and agriculture, granges from all over Western Washington display their finest at the Washington State Fair. Granges serve an important role in agriculture and community.”

There were several more than these four. Left to right: Easthill Grange with a John Muir Theme, Humptulips Grange with a Christmas theme, Lewis County Pomona Grange with a Field of Dreams theme, and Mason County Pomona Grange with a Pollinator’s Paradise theme. There were many varieties of fruits, vegetables, grains, eggs, canned goods, and honey.

Flowers were being judged in this building also. This next collage is of some of the dahlia arrangements.

Of course you shouldn’t miss the farm animals. Cows, horses, goats, sheep, chickens, lamas, and pigs, oh my.

The chainsaw wood carvers were busy at work and had these fun displays.

This bench was an example of fine craftsmanship and very unique. Created by JQ and selling for $4800.

Another great area of the fair we visited was the arts building that housed the home arts including quilts and foods and fine art and photography.

I really do admire quilters and their patience in getting these works of art started and finished!

We came away from the fair with purchases from the Blacksmiths and I didn’t get a picture of their area at the fair, a fire poker and a dinner bell. Dear seems to remember that we attended this fair once before in the 28 years that we’ve lived in Washington. I don’t remember being at this fair before. Katie and I attended the Evergreen Fair, a smaller fair closer to home. When we lived in California we attended the Pomona Fair and the Ventura County Fair.

Do you attend fairs in your part of the world?