| Puyallup Fair | |
|---|---|
The Gold Gate entrance to the Puyallup Fair, 2006 |
|
| Date(s) | September |
| Location(s) | Puyallup, Washington |
| Attendance | 1,065,208 (2010) |
| Genre | State Fair |
| Website | http://www.thefair.com/puyallup-fair/ |
The Puyallup Fair is the largest single attraction held annually in the state of Washington. The fair continually ranks in the top ten largest fairs in the United States.[1] The Western Washington Fair Association hosts two annual events: the 17-day Puyallup Fair every September, and the four-day Puyallup Spring Fair every April.
Situated in Puyallup, 35 miles (56 km) south of Seattle and 10 miles (16 km) east of Tacoma in the shadow of Mount Rainier, the fairgrounds comprise 160 acres (0.65 km2), with buildings and land valued at more than $54 million. The facilities are available for rent during the year, making the grounds a valuable community resource. A staff of 55 works year-round. Over 7,500 employees are hired each September during the Fair.[2]
The fairgrounds were known as Camp Harmony, an internment camp for Japanese Americans, during World War II.
Until 2006, the fair was officially known as the "Western Washington Fair." At that time, the former name was dropped and changed to match the more common usage. The name of the fairgrounds was changed to "The Puyallup Fair and Events Center." It is now a facility that is opened year round covering various seasonal festivals (such as the Victorian Country Christmas), races, concerts, car shows, and sporting expositions (such as the International Sportsman's Exposition).
Attendance has grown significantly since the fair's October 4, 1900 opening, drawing more than one million people each year. Selected dates:
2011: 1,059,182[3]
2010: 1,065,208[4]
2009: 1,183,035[5]
2008: 1,163,969[6]
2007: 1,182,937[6]
2006: 1,131,276[6]
2005: 1,117,707[6]
2004: 1,073,581[6]
2003: About 1,160,000[2]
2002: About 1,180,000[2]
2000: About 1,300,000[1]
1999: 1,238,029[1]
1993: 1,420,037 (highest attendance ever)[6]
1991: 1,414,487[1]
1989: About 1,300,000[1]
1980-1988: Between 1,100,000 and 1,200,000[1]
Late 1930s: About 400,000[1]
1922: About 130,000[1]
1900: About 5,500 families[1]