The Washington State Fair draws thousands of people to Puyallup every year. It’s one of the largest fairs in the country, bringing together rides, games, animals, food and entertainment. We hit up the fair for a mid-week, get-out-of-the-house, out-of-the-ordinary date night, and we had a blast.
The Washington State Fair is easily the largest in Washington, and it’s been happening here for more than a century. The fair hosts two events each year: the Spring Fair in April and the much larger Washington State Fair in September.
Tim and I both grew up going to local county fairs, so we were really pumped to check out the Washington State Fair and relive our childhoods a little bit. We were most excited for the games, animals, food, and rides!
Rides and Games at the Washington State Fair
There are plenty of rides at the Washington State Fair, from classic carnival rides and roller coasters to attractions for younger kids in SillyVille.
The fair also offers plenty of classic carnival games. From racing games to tests of skill and luck, the fun never seems to stop.
Animals at the Fair
Tim and I also really enjoy checking out all of the different farm animals at the fair. We saw giant bunnies, loads of sheep, curious and stubborn goats, and plenty of cows. In fact, one of the cows we saw had given birth to a calf just minutes before we got there.
We love walking through the barns and talking to the kids who raised the animals. It’s neat to hear how proud they are of their hard work.
Fair Food
Nothing says a fair quite like fair food, and the fair does not disappoint. You’ll find just about every type of fair food you can imagine, including BBQ, corn dogs, hot dogs, burgers, curly fries, onion rings, funnel cakes, elephant ears, and more.
One of the most famous treats is the Fisher Scone, a Washington State Fair tradition dating back to 1911.
Fair Entertainment
While we enjoy the rides, games, animals, and food, the Washington State Fair has plenty more. The fair brings in big-name musicians and entertainers each year, along with shows and other events throughout the fairgrounds. Check the fair website to see what concerts and entertainment are scheduled during your visit.
Is the Washington State Fair a Good Date?
Our only complaint about the fair is how expensive it can get.
We had free admission, but we still spent more than $100 on our date night. This included parking, two rides each, one game each, and dinner—two bratwursts, onion rings, two Fisher Scones, and a bottle of water.
It added up pretty quickly, and we didn’t feel like we went overboard. In fact, we would have loved to play more games and take a spin (literally) on a few more rides.
Even with all the money we spent, we had a great time. Our date night was packed with laughs, and we were already talking about going back the following year.
The Washington State Fair makes for a fun date if you’re looking for something a little different from the usual dinner or drinks. Between the rides, games, food, animals, and entertainment, there’s plenty to experience together.
Planning your own trip? Check out our Washington State Fair guide for more on the rides, food, animals, games, and visiting with kids.
If you’re looking for other fun date ideas, check out our day trip to Bainbridge Island, stroll around Fremont, holiday date night in Bellevue, Chihuly Garden & Glass date night in Seattle, and more of our It’s a Date adventures.
Looking for Mary Larsen that lived in Houston, TX in 1956 and later moved back to Washington where she was from. I am sure she later married and may have changed her last name. She was about 21 years old when she lived in Houston. If you know of such person I would appreciate a reply to my email address. Thanks very much. cteekell@yahoo.com
She had a son at St. Joseph’s Hospital and names him Marion Ralph Whitley
Sadly the puyallup fair has become too corporate focused on profit not allowing private vendors in without huge costs … just look at how few private vendors are inside and outside the walls compared to ten years ago.
My advice, save your money and avoid the fair until they drop their for huge profit mentality.
I live in Oregon now and have taken my son to The Fair a couple of times. He and I are both addicted to Fisher Scones and Marcoes Taffy. This year, it looks like the Marcoes are down to caramel apples…WTF? It costs about $100 to go and one of our top 2 is not available?
The other part is that I am looking for Brian Morningstar, who graduated from Puyallup HS in 1984. He used to make the trek to park cars at The Fair. I hope he is safe, alive and happy.