Wow...what a day: rides, fries, smiles, entertainment, bumping into friends...the Schnellers...whom I had not seen in years...and finding a three year old girl at the CIS stage to give my stuffed dog to. I'll be back the last day of the fair to introduce singers, dancers, and cultural groups at the CIS stage. If you come by, say hi.
Dave

Summertime again...I made a big mistake and wore jeans. Luckily I wandered into the hobby hall and enjoyed an air-conditioned stroll though dozens of amazing exhibitions. At the exit I saw one of my favorite foods: curley fries. A bit spendy but the Irish side of me took over and I gave in. Fries are great walking food and there are enough to get me back to the green gate area where I will enjoy the kids at the CIS stage.

Lines are pretty short today even though there are a lot of people. The fair is the place to be tonight in the moonlight.
Dave

After considerable discussion we all decided to eat good old fashioned fish and chips at Spuds & Chips (Since 1935) under the bright blue banner! Our friend ordered a one-piece halibut and chip and my son and I split a plate of prawns and chips.

Not to worry about our small orders, as we've been enjoying other fair treats over the day as we've wandered about - all on foot I'll add. No nifty transportation options for this bunch, at least for the day!

Before heading here to blog, the sure and confident decision making to select from many choices of political campaign buttons for sale was not with me. I left the booth of choice empty-handed. However, complete tragedy was averted as my well-informed and always helpful son reminded me that I also retain the option to order such merchandise on-line in the comfort and more serene surroundings of home.
Yeah!

The gorgeous and cloud free weather continues to hold. As the hours trip by, the weather may end up holding up better than participants like ourselves. Before we fall victim to complete exhaustion, I'm hoping to find the booth where Federal Way artist Charan "Creative with Clay" Sachar has work on display.

Last year I was lucky enough to land placement of one of my own works, a mixed media collage in the annual juried Art Show featured on the second floor of the Pavilion. If I recall correctly a colorful palette of 15 or more artists from our neck of the woods were also featured in the same show. I want to see who made the cut this year - and get some inspiration for a possible second try in 2009!

And we won't forget to catch one of Federal Way's most celebrated artists, I'm speaking of the one and only cowboy artist Fred Oldfield whose work has been enjoyed by Puyallup fairgoers and guests for years.

- Mizu Sugimura

Today as I browsed upstairs in the Pavilion, no less than 8 times I overheard different people say "I never knew this was here". I thought that was odd as this is the building I go to first and stay probably the longest. The wonders to see and learning potential are awesome. Every home art you can think of is represented for display. There are demonstrations and competitions.

Today even a local author was judging the Puyallup Fair Pie contest. I entered but to no luck...got a runners-up kind of showing but that is okay. I learned what I could do better to win another time. I did however win the Ghirardeli Chocolate contest. Yahoo!

There are many contests throughout the fair. Upcoming on Wednesday, Sept. 17, is the Fair scone contest and on Friday the 19th is the special jam and jelly contest. Both of these contests are a preregistration due in August so get ready to enter next year. Products made within the last 2 years are eligible. But come out and watch the competition and judging to prepare your self or just enjoy the fun and tension. The entries arrive between 10 and 12 and the judging begins by 1pm. I hope to see everyone there. I will be, hopefully with my 'A' game.

Enjoy and take it all in. Don't miss out on your very own Epic Fun.

-Karin Brown

We demonstrated knitting in the Pavilion upstairs. I did some knitting on a Barbie doll dress and I started on a book mark. A girl knitted a couple of rows on my project. She is good.

Hey everyone, if your feet are tired and you are at the fair Monday through Thursday then you need to find a people mover stop. Find the nearest one to you and wait for the people mover to get to you. It is a tractor pulling seats on wheels with canopy's. You can ride all around the fair for FREE!

If you are hot and sweaty then you need to cool off with a slushy. You can get it at the slush factory anywhere near you. Refills are even more affordable for mom's budget.

This Morning in the Pavilion was a pie contest and one of the judges was a book author. My mom likes to read her books. Her name, the author, is Debbie Macombre.

That's enough for now.

-Quianna Brown

If you have children, I suggest two trips. One for the kids and one for you!! Kids are not so much into the arts and crafts part of the fair, but they are into the rides, food and games.

This might cause a little change in moods with the kids when you take them off the rides, to look at the arts and crafts, the Pavilion has to offer (and lots of other little booths). Likewise, this might cause a change in moods with the parents when they are not able to (peacefully) look at the arts and crafts because the kids are screaming to go back on the rides!!

I suggest two trips. One for the kids and one for the parents. When you bring the kids, get out of the mindset of looking at all the stuff you like, instead, agree to the rides and games they are so excited to go on. The second trip, the kids need to stay home and the parents need to go!!! This time, it's all about them and they can do what they want and enjoy every minute of it!!!

Michelle Vestal

Oh my goodness! The planting patch is soooo much fun! I got to churn milk into butter and the rest is called butter milk. There are so many things to do and the vegetables are so huge. There is tall corn and great big pumpkins oh and other big vegetables too. There are lots of things for kids to do, so if you are a kid or a child then you must go to the planting patch. It is over by SillyVille.

Oh yeah, you can get your face painted for free. There wasn't a line so I got 3 paintings. One was a rainbow horse, and a butterfly with sparkles and then I got hearts going up my arm. Green for mom and red and purple for me with glitter too. It rocks.

Lets see, at the planting patch you can learn about carding wool, doing laundry like your grandma might have done, grate cinnamon for chicken or pies, grind grain for flour ... they even have a saw for cutting wood or planing, that is making the wood smooth for table chair legs.

I want to go back there again!

-Quianna Brown

This year we will really be 'doing the fair'. We, my daughter and I will be demonstrating 10 times. Eight of those will be for crocheting and knitting. The other two will be scrap-booking. On those days we are taking in a little of the fair each day.

This last Monday we went on ride after ride after ride.......oh MY! Lunch was very late that day and then it was just ice cream...as a mom how often do we just let go and have fun? To watch my daughter 'Wow' at the draft horse, look in wonder as I say yes to ice cream for lunch and yes in sympathy as I turn green on the rides. These are the times I wish I had a video camera in my eyes to record for others to see the joy.

One memory I have is watching a mother and child just dancing without a care in the world. They were out side one of the children entertainment booths, it is on the way to the green gate. The children get to be a part of the show. This Mom, totally uninhibited was dancing with her child...this is the awesome freedom shown in the joy of a child experienced too with the parent.

-Karin Brown

Last Monday was AWESOME! We were here all day. The rides were only 1$ each ride. My Mom and I went onto the Scrambler. I screamed and screamed and then laughed a lot. My Mom turned green just like her eyes. I squished into her and that made the ride even more fun.

Friday was the Parent Child cookie bar contest. We made peanut butter and jam brownies with white chocolate. You can view the entries upstairs in the Pavilion. We did not win this year but there's always next year.

Today I will help Mom demonstrate scrap-booking. I will tell more about that later, after we are done.

Quianna Brown

There have been lots of questions about where various exhibits are at the desk in the rabbit and poultry barn, especially about the about the lack of poultry!

This weekend the rabbit and poultry barn will be full of 4-H rabbits and cavies (AKA guinea pigs). There are a few birds hanging around the barn now, though, including a bunch of chicks.

The second most requested exhibit is Animals of the World. They won't be here until mid-next week but will stay until the end of the fair.

This may be one of the earliest posts.

Long before the ticket booths open out front staff, volunteers, exhibitors, and others have been up for hours getting ready. I just come from the 4-H rabbit and cavy (guinea pig) barn where I'm volunteering this year and throughout the fair exhibitors are busy cleaning, feeding, watering, and grooming their exhibits.

The Puyallup Fair is the gracious host of the Washington State 4-H Fair. There are 4-H people showing here who are from right here in Pierce County and there are people from Asotin. They are all putting tons of effort into their exhibits so you can enjoy the fair come 10am!

~Carrie Corter

Consumerism; we are surrounded by it constantly, and the Puyallup Fair is no exception. At the height of the Fair season, vendors work hard to sell their incredible products…many of which you can only buy here at the Fair or on television. Year after year we buy it, and year after year we love it.

But what can I say…my life will simply be incomplete without that cool contraption that cuts vegetables into the shape of stars, or all-day, long lasting lipstick in every shade of rose known to mankind. Truthfully…you will probably live a long, fulfilling life without these extra goodies including the spray painted shirts, neon green, zebra printed hats, and car shams, but what fun would that be?!?!? Spending an extra dollar or two is part of the Fair experience, and I am no exception to the consumerism trap that lurks in the aisles of the vendor buildings. I buy into it; so does everyone else. I’ve been watching the droves of people with shoe polish, home décor items, and overly large stuffed animals. I find that I sometimes fall into this consumerism blindly, while other times I know perfectly well what is happening and relish in the beauty of exciting, yet sometimes unnecessary spending. To date, I have spent money on political buttons, which I adore, but am too chicken to wear them in public, in fear of negative social repercussions when I go back to school. I have my eye on a new toe ring; however, the one I have now is happily nestled on my toe, fulfilling its purpose perfectly. I had to talk myself out of buying a backpack I didn’t need...which was a good choice in the end, but it took me a couple hours. That goes to show how the combination of environment and exceptional sales people can get in your mind!

My mom can hardly wait to purchase more knives to add to the set my sister and I bought her last year. And although I have made great use of the nail polish pen set I bought last year, my dad’s car wax sits in the garage, untouched. Some of the Fair spending is beneficial, some excessive, but all enjoyable, and is inherent in the Epic Fun of the Puyallup Fair. The only suggestion I have for avoiding this “must buy” mentality…visit the Hobby Hall. You can have a good time looking at thousands of fancy erasers, antique Barbie dolls, and massive Lego creations, and instead of adding to your current collections, you can look at someone else’s. :-)

-Kristina Stambaugh