Yesterday I attended the Puyallup Fair, a huge fair located near Tacoma, for the whole day. I spent most of the time looking at student’s art projects, hobby collections, livestock and other animals, and eating tons of sweets. I don’t do rides because of my fear of heights and rarely do the fairway games because they’re almost all ripoffs. Do you enjoy going to fairs? Which ones? What activities do you do? Or what don’t you like about them?
That’s an odd coincidence; I went to the Puyallup Fair last week for the first time in about 20 years. Some stuff had changed, but a lot of it was the same. I was kinda bummed that the bumper cars weren’t there anymore.
I had fun. It would help to go with the right person, and to go every year to learn which food stands are better than others. (To anyone going this weekend, I recommend the turkey leg at the barbecue place in the main merch hall.)
So to answer your question, yes, I like them, or at least in theory. It would be a lot of fun with the right social group, I just don’t have that group at the moment. This year was worth it for the nostalgia.
I do what you do, installlSC. Don’t ride the rides (except for the Himalaya. And the Tilt-a-Whirl.) Don’t play the games (well, sometimes I have to play the really lame ones, like the “toss for a goldfish.” And I always try to shoot something. On the CARD, that’s all. I walk around, with the necessary intermittent stops, and look myself silly at the art work, at the tobacco leaves and jars of honey (my grandfather used to be the “gourd king” at our local fair and I still like to talk to the old guys,) at the quilts and the incredible photography. And the pies, biscuits etc. I usually eat at one of the church-run booths, because they provide tables with chairs. And the food is good. Sometimes I’ve come back home and realized that all I ate was soup beans and cornbread with white onions, which is not exactly exotic. But then I pull the cellophane wrapped caramel apple out of my purse and start nibbling the gooey thing, stretching the experience out a little further. And I always end up with a bag full of free stuff that I look at as I’m throwing it away.
No.
Love them. The state fair is too far away from home, so we’ll make do by hitting the LA County Fair tomorrow. We go for the exhibits and the food.
I haven’t been to one in nearly 20 years.
I have fond memories of going and I would go again, on a crisp fall day with the right woman. Just as something different to do.
No. Not in the least.
From my house you could throw a rock and hit the fairgrounds of the Illinois State Fair. Every summer Springfield goes NUTS for the State Fair; and in this town it really is a big deal. Every year I go, expecting to see something cool; and every year I leave disappointed.
The Illinois State Fair: What Disneyworld would be if it was designed by Larry The Cable Guy.
I love them. My husband tolerates them, though now that we go to smaller fairs he does seem to like them more. No rides or games. Just food and exhibits and musical acts.
My favorite food is a good Beerock. I hated the fried snickers. I love my sweets, but that was disgusting.
Pig Races! cool crafts! cute animals! Foods found nowhere else*! and Pig Races!
*that corn dog was a foot long… and it was not the Giant Size! I had to skip funnel cake.
Yeah, pig races fer sher.
I went to the Iowa State Fair every summer when I lived in Iowa, and it was a lot of fun. In addition to the pig races, it has the Pork Princess and a cow sculpted of butter. What’s not to love?
I love going to State and County fairs. I lust wander around, soak up the vibe, have a couple of beers and fried things on sticks, and take lots of pictures.
I love the Minnesota State Fair. Except during my time in the Army overseas, I haven’t missed one since I was very little. Neither has my son.
Since I am a vegetarian I am not really crazy about the meat related exhibits, but most of the other stuff there is fun.
No. Our state fair has become overrun by thugs and gang activity.
If you go early and during the week it’s okay, but frankly the prices have gone up so much it isn’t worth it.
The one here is a joke - it’s not a fair anymore, it’s a carnival with nothing at all local. I love going to the Fair in Tifton when I can get there - they have all the animal exhibits and good stuff like that.
I went to the Tennessee State Fair this month; .38 Special was playing and it was a wonderful show. Saw the biggest rooster and the biggest rabbit I’ve ever seen in person, and some wonderful quilts.
I love fairs, but don’t do the rides so the carnival is useless to me.
Yes. I love the smell of fresh roasted peanuts & the look on my kids faces when I bring bags of kettlecorn out to the car. Sure, there’s a lot of sales booths for hot tubs & snake oil remedies between the 4-H exhibit buildings, but its a fun summer’s day out-and-about.
I never really went growing up, but now that I live in Minneapolis I go to the Minnesota State Fair. I don’t stay for very long, since I’ve managed to wrangle free passes every year so far. I’m mostly into the food (and the milk stand! All you can drink for $1!), but I look at the exhibits too.
No. I was extremely happy when my daughter was old enough to go to the county fair by herself so I didn’t have to. Heat, dust, smells, and expensive rides and food.
I used to, but now they make me nauseous. I had thought it was the rides combined with me getting older, but the last time I went (to the Michigan State Fair, now defunct), I was getting a little nauseous before going on any rides. I think it’s the exhaust from all the portable generators they use to power the rides.
I’m not a fan of the Puyallup Fair. I went often as a kid, through the 70s and even into my early adulthood in the 80s.
We took the kids a few times in the 90s, but started offering them a choice of going either to the fair or the toy store. They almost always chose the toy store.
I don’t like it anymore because it’s just a huge rip off and incredibly expensive. And, I’m not just talking about the rides. The food is ridiculously overpriced.
I live up on South Hill and all it means is traffic headaches if I want to head downtown.
It’s a shame, really, because my husband and I both enjoyed the exhibits, but I just can’t justify spending that kind of money anymore.
Finally, I’m just not a huge fan of crowds. They make me cranky.