Stay Calm and Do the Puyallup!

Going to the Missouri State Fair was a tradition of my family when I was younger; I would always go with my mom, sister, and grandmother. Then after the fair we would have burgers and fries at Eddy’s (which is no longer in business).  Additionally, I was secretly jealous of anyone that had an RV camper and could camp on the fairgrounds. As a kid, I thought nothing was cooler than being able to drive on the road as one cooks a meal and goes to the bathroom, not necessarily at the same time.  At the Missouri State Fair one was expected to see Smokey the Bear asking you to help prevent forest fires, standing in line forever to devour delicious mini donuts, riding amusement rides and fun houses, enjoying overwhelming smell of animal poop, interesting people watching, and it was guaranteed that it would be a scorching hot day in August.

I have been to other State Fairs (including Iowa’s State Fair), but Missouri is still my favorite because it holds a lot of sentiment. I missed the Washington State Fair last year because my dad was visiting me here in Seattle and he had zero interest in attending.  This year I was able to attend. It was the first time that I have attended a State Fair in September, and I didn’t sweat to death. The Washington State Fair use to be called the Puyallup State Fair, but people had difficulties pronouncing it so they changed it this year to Washington State Fair, but it is still held in the city of Puyallup.  The slogan of the fair is “Do the Puyallup.”

Besides parking lots charging for parking during the fair, people where charging individuals if they wanted to park in their yards. Prices ranged from $5-$20. Basically people stood out in their yards all day waving flags or pieces of cardboard advertising that their yards were up to being ruin by your vehicle. We were able to park on a street that was not charging and it was only a few blocks away from the fairgrounds. 

Personal highlights from the State Fair were eating the hot scones, watching the wool riders, riding the skyride, listening to the Rock Bottom Boys, and of course eating food that is prone to instantly clog one’s arteries.  The wool riders were my absolute favorite thing at the fair. It was when children under 40lbs are put on the backs of sheep and they hold on for their dear lives. It was immensely entertaining!

Scones with raspberry jam are a must-have at the WA State Fair.

Getting ready to do a roundtrip on the Skyride

Skyride

Aerial view of the fair from Skyride

Giant sunflowers

Wool riders: Children under 40lbs would ride as far as they could without falling off.

Child holding on tight

Pumpkin carving 

Rock Bottom Boys

The whole group: Rock Bottom Boys

Godmobile: find out if you are going to the Pearly Gates with just two questions

Slogan of the fair: Do the Puyallup

Tractor Pull....felt very Midwest Fair

In the words of Will Smith: Get Jiggy with it!

You had one job: It's a foot massager but its in the shape of a hand???

Sillyville: The area of the fair with all the amusement park rides

The "best" smelling palace around.

The mecca of fried food with an interesting twist: Fried Lobster Corn Dogs

Wish prices were still this cheap