Washington State Fair facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Washington State Fair |
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| Genre | State fair |
| Dates | Main fair in September Spring fair in April |
| Location(s) | 110 9th Ave SW Puyallup, Washington, U.S. |
| Attendance | 1,065,208 (2010) |
The Washington State Fair, also known as the Puyallup Fair, is a super popular event held every year in Washington State. It's one of the biggest fairs in the whole United States! The fair brings together fun rides, amazing concerts, and cool displays about farming and animals.
The Washington State Fair actually hosts two big events each year. The main fair runs for 21 days in September. There's also a shorter, four-day Spring Fair in April.
The fairgrounds are located in Puyallup. This city is about 35 miles (56 km) south of Seattle and 10 miles (16 km) east of Tacoma. It's also close to the beautiful Mount Rainier. The fairgrounds are huge, covering about 160 acres (0.65 km2) of land. Many buildings are on the property.
The fairgrounds are used all year long, not just for the fairs! People can rent the spaces for different events. These include holiday festivals like the Victorian Country Christmas. You might also find races, concerts, car shows, and sports events there.
Contents
Fair History: A Look Back
The fair has a long and interesting history! It started way back in 1900. Back then, it was called the "Puyallup Valley Fair." The very first event happened from October 4th to 6th.
How the Fair's Name Changed
Over the years, the fair's name changed a few times. In 1913, it became "The Western Washington Fair." But most people still called it the "Puyallup Fair." In 2006, it officially went back to being "The Puyallup Fair." The place itself was called "The Puyallup Fair and Events Center."
Then, in 2013, the fair got its current name: the "Washington State Fair." Even with the new name, many local people still call it the "Puyallup Fair." You might even hear the fun saying, "Do the Puyallup!"
Fair During World War II
The fair didn't happen for a few years during World War II. After the 1941 fair, the army used the fairgrounds. It became a temporary center for Japanese Americans. During the war, many Japanese Americans from the Seattle-Tacoma area and Alaska were moved here. They stayed in buildings that used to be horse stables and new barracks.
By September 1942, these Japanese Americans were moved to other places. The temporary center was then taken down. The fairgrounds were used by the U.S. Army for a short time after that. The fair finally reopened in 1946. That year, it set a new record with 100,000 people visiting on opening day!
Recent Fair Cancellations
In 2020, the fair had to be canceled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This was the first time the fair was canceled since World War II. The fair returned in 2021. It had some rules like wearing masks and fewer people were allowed in. About 816,000 people attended that year.
How Many People Visit?
The number of people visiting the fair has grown a lot since 1900. Today, more than one million people come to the fair each year!
Attendance Figures
Here's a look at how many people have visited the fair over the years:
- 2021: 816,000
- 2020: 0 (canceled)
- 2012: 1,117,323
- 2011: 1,059,182
- 2010: 1,065,208
- 2009: 1,183,035
- 2008: 1,163,969
- 2007: 1,182,937
- 2006: 1,131,276
- 2005: 1,117,707
- 2004: 1,073,581
- 2003: About 1,160,000
- 2002: About 1,180,000
- 2000: About 1,300,000
- 1993: 1,420,037 (This was the highest attendance ever!)
- 1991: 1,414,487
- 1989: About 1,300,000
- 1980-1988: Between 1,100,000 and 1,200,000
- Late 1930s: About 400,000
- 1922: About 130,000
- 1900: About 5,500 families
See also
- Pacific National Exhibition in Vancouver, B.C., which also had a similar history during World War II.
- Evergreen State Fair in nearby Snohomish County.
